


A fruitloop Christmas Carol

by TheLonesomeWriter



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: A christmas carol is probably the world's fastest redemptin arc, Christmas carol but make it pompous pep, Clockwork finally telling Vlad some stuff, F/F, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I really should hurry up and finish my other works but this just wouldn't leave me alone, I'm a sap for these two what can I say, In my canon the Dairy king is Vlad's great grandfather, M/M, Merry Christmas!, Pompous Pep, Redemption for Vlad everyone, The christmas special no one asked for, The season got to me, They're great okay?, Vlad is scrooge who would have guessed?, Vlad's parents will be there, and hurt Vlad and Danny just for fun, lest make all Vlad's snack curses Christmas themed, spooky christmas carolers, sue me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:54:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27947864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLonesomeWriter/pseuds/TheLonesomeWriter
Summary: Vlad Masters has his life turned around when Clockwork decides to send him three spirits. The ghost of Christmas past, present and future.That and a certain halfa decides to give him a special gift this year.Can Vlad change his future in just one night?Merry Christmas everyone.
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Vlad Masters, Valerie Gray/Danielle "Dani" Phantom
Comments: 24
Kudos: 67





	A fruitloop Christmas Carol

Where Christmas was a time of celebration, family and forgiveness for some, Christmas time was nothing but work to Vlad Masters.

Typing away on his laptop to finish the last of his work load for the day, he skimmed the towering stack of documents to his right and took notes to his left to make sure he had all the details. The quiet of his office was brought to an end as the intercom let him know his secretary needed him yet again.

_“Mr. Masters, the catering team for tonight's christmas party wants to know if you prefer the podium at the center of the stage or off to the right.”_

Vlad rubbed his temple, finding the question silly, but pressed the button to answer her nevertheless, “center, of course. Please don’t interrupt me with more questions, Denice.”

_“My apologies, sir. But I still have yet to know if I should call a taxi or your chauffeur for the day.”_

Vlad frowned and checked the time. It was late, later than most days even he had to admit. Though she would never say Vlad’s ghost hearing had still caught seveval top employees calling her during the last three hours to know when he would leave and let the office close for the day.

It was annoying to no end, but the same song every christmas. Vlad would work like it was any of the 365 days of the year while the rest of his office believed they deserved to leave early just because of some family holiday. As if most of them wouldn’t be back again tonight to drink and party at his expense.

The annual christmas party at the office was a tedious affair in his opinion. He would show up, notice just how overboard the party committee had gone with decorations and booze, and then give some grand speech about being proud of them all for their work while lying through his teeth.

The day any of those bastards worked half as much as he, he would personally hand over the keys to his office and be done with this human farce. There was no denying it anymore, his masquerade as human and work in the business world was a long foolish play that would soon come to end.

With both the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire in his possession he was close to finally taking over the Ghost World and then the human world.

He just had to remove the curse first…

Feeling a headache coming up, he pressed the button to answer her, “just call my chauffeur and let those lazy board members of mine know they can leave for the day. I have no use of them if they won’t work.”

He could almost dismiss the smile in her voice, “ _will do, Sir. How is the speech coming along?_ ”

Vlad peeked down at the empty page and rolled his eyes, “it’s missing a few details, that will be all, Denice.”

She didn’t bother him after that and Vlad returned to his work, wanting as much as possible done before monday when his list of meetings would take most of his time.

Looking through his emails to see if he couldn’t dig up last year's christmas speech for reuse (it wasn’t like any of them would notice) he found several charity fundraisers having filled his inbox with pleas for money and dismissed them all. As if he was going to play hand-out just because of some paltry holiday.

He had already donated the money he needed to keep up the face of a philanthropist to the public. They could go pester someone else. When he took over the world their begging would surely get another tune.

He personally looked forward to it.

He was still looking through his old speeches when a light knocking on the door had him look up and find his secretary in the door.

Dressed in her winter coat and gloves, the elderly woman smiled politely as reserved as always.

“I will be leaving for the day, sir, you’re chauffeur should be here in five minutes.”

“I see,” Vlad replied, having caught sight of the time and realized he had worked another hour without noticing, “will you be joining this year's party?”

He already knew she wouldn’t before she shook her head, making her grey haircut sway a bit, “i’m afraid not. The grandkids will be coming this year.”

“How nice,” he replied with little interest.

She just smiled, her knowing gaze reminding him of his mother sometimes, “you should go home and get some rest before the party. I had the mail sorted to make sure only mail personally addressed for you was sent to the castle. A lot of packages from the Fentons this year.”

Vlad could already feel that headache growing with each word about Jack Fenton, “thank you. If that would be all, I wish you a good night.”

“Not a good christmas?” she teased and he lifted an eyebrow, as this wasn’t normally part of their pattern of professional conversation, “it’s an important day to cherish.”

He smiled stiffly, “it really isn’t.”

Driving home through the snow in his limo Vlad ran over the last details of his speech and retouched it to make sure it sounded less friendly and more formal.

The last thing he needed was for his employees to believe him sentimental.

The warmth of his home greeted him with the normal color scheme of green and gold. Living alone he had no need to decorate his home for christmas and allowed one of his ghost maids to take his long black coat. He was still focused on the speech and heading for his private study when one of his maids spoke up.

“We had a big delivery of letters and packages brough to the parlor, sir.”

Having happily forgotten about that, Vlad sighed but surrendered to his fate and put the speech on hold. If he was quick he could be done burning whatever atrocity Jack had sent him this year and be through his mail before he had to leave for the party later tonight.

With the fireplace already lit in the parlor and a bottle of cognac next to his favorite armchair, Vlad found himself a bit more relaxed and took a seat next to the table booming with christmas mail.

With no living family and no relations outside of business (other than Jack...) Vlad already knew what awaited him as he cut the first envelope open with a letter knife.

Charity requests in all colors, shapes and wordings soon added to the flames in his fireplace, as he tossed them in. Most of them he recognised from his digital mail and others he found too insignificant to even bother open.

With all the letters out of the way he spiced his drink with some death blossom he had collected in the Ghost Zone to actually get some effect. With a halfa metabolism like his, human liqueur just didn’t exactly have the potential to even get him tipsy and so he had discovered the remedies the Ghost Zone had to offer.

He already felt better as the heat of the cognac and death blossom sap rolled down his throat.

Finding that the first package was from Jack, he spiced his glass another notch and sighed before opening the attached letter.

His little session was soon interrupted before he could unfold the letter and Vlad scowled as he caught the ecto signature of a certain hunter.

Seems he was never going to finish that speech...

Going down to the lab to see what the ghost wanted he found Skulker waiting with a frown by the portal.

“Skulker,” he greeted lightly as he phased down the ceiling and the hunter nodded just as curt.

“Plasmius, I’m here to get that gun you promised me.”

Vlad rolled his eyes, something the hunter misses due to the fact that Vlad’s red eyes didn't have pupils, “I remember I specifically said you had to finish the job before I handed it over.”

“Can’t work tonight,” Skulker dismissed, “if I’m caught fighting another ghost during the christmas truce I’ll be imprisoned and shunned by the rest of the Zone.”

Oh yes, the christmas truce...Vlad had all forgotten about that silly tradition. Every year the ghosts would have a truce night during christmas where all fighting and obsession hunting was banned for 24 hours. All who broke it was ostracized and hunted down by the rest of the Zone.

Meaning Skulker wouldn’t be able to do his job before tomorrow morning at least.

Vlad could of course just force him or do the job, but knowing just how ridiculous important this was to the Ghost Zone it would prove more lucrative for him to simply look past it. He didn’t need the extra problem of the Zone trying to defeat him because of some work he could have Skulker delay for one night.

“Fine,” he sighed and produced the gun he had promised the hunter, “but I expect the work done by tomorrow. Perhaps an early payment will make things easy, hmm?”

“Much easier,” the hunter grinned darkly and admired the gun's deadly design with awe.

Believing that would be all, Vlad was ready to go back to his armchair when the hunter cleared his throat, “Skulker was wondering if you would be attending the truce this year.”

Vlad stopped in his tracks and turned back to the hunter. The fact that Skulker even cared was beyond Vlad. Why was everyone suddenly so set on having him celebrate christmas?

First his secretary and now his ghost employee?

“Of course not. Why?” Vlad replied, wondering what had made Skulker ask in the first place and the hunter frowned again.

“Skulker just thinks it might be worth it this year, that’s all.”

Vlad frowned as well, what was that supposed to mean exactly?

Put on the spot, the hunter shrugged awkwardly, something that seemed utterly out of place for the broad cyborg ghost, “it’s just that the Whelp has been asking for you for the last three years. Ghosts have been starting to notice.”

Vlad couldn’t help but find that...odd.

It was true that he and Daniel weren't exactly on each other's throat anymore, but to ask for Vlad’s attendance? It was more likely that Daniel was asking to know if Vlad was attending to avoid seeing him. With Daniel having finished college and Vlad back in Wisconsin it wasn’t often their paths collided. 

But to ask for him?

Skulker had to be confusing things. And really the last thing Vlad needed tonight was to attend some party in the Ghost Zone he had nothing to gain from and end up spending it fighting with Daniel. Again breaking the truce.

He might not respect the truce but he had no use for the hell that might break loose should Daniel lose his temper with him as he always did.

He simply couldn’t risk it.

“I don’t have time for the christmas truce, I have enough work in the living world as it is,” Vlad dismissed and turned his back to leave, “if that would be all I bid you goodnight.”

“I see, merry christmas,” the hunter said and went back through the portal before Vlad could correct him.

Phasing back up to the entrance hall and turning back human, Vlad’s temper reached another high when the annoying sound of christmas carolers started outside his front door.

Every damned year those carolers would come knocking and demand payment for their mediocre songs. Vlad would always slam the door in their face even if they brought children just to press him with guilt.

But despite never hiding what he thought of them, they always came back and it seemed like their number would double each year.

Opening the door before one of his maids could, Vlad glared down the group of inaccurate historical dressed carolers who had the audacity to smile at him.

Now that they knew he had acknowledged them he slammed the door in their face to let the second shoe drop and hoped that it would all for tonight.

As they didn’t start singing again and his door remained silent, he sighed in relief and returned to his doings.

Back in his comfy chair and ready to open Jack’s letter, Vlad was once again interrupted by an ecto signature.

With his luck tonight it might as well be Pariah Dark coming to get his ring and crown back. The second he did recognise the signature, he only slightly wished it was.

“I told you not to seek me out again."

The Dairy King ignored his biting tone and hit Vlad over the head with his scepter.

“That is no way of speaking to ya great-grandfather, dontcha know?” the jolly ghost corrected him and floated around the chair to face the fuming halfa.

“I hardly have time for this,” Vlad groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, “of all the family members who could come back to haunt our estate, you have to be the worst possible candidate.”

He earned another ‘boink’ on the head for that and only the respect for his father’s family stopped the angry halfa from eradicating the ghost for good.

“Well, gosh and golly, if I don’t come back to check on you who will? It’s not like you’ve done ya duty and filled the castle with grandkids for me to pester instead.”

“I’ve told you,” Vlad growled and rose from his seat to confront the annoyed specter with red eyes, “I have a plan.”

“Ya plan is rubbish!” the ghost spat and raised his arms to emphasise, “that Fenton woman hasn't been swayed by you and now she’s too old to carry you an heir. And you can’t even have one with a human!”

“No need to remind me, you old fool,” Vlad sneered and poured himself a new glass to calm his nerves, “under all circumstances I’ve given up upon Maddie. Her son on the other hand has been asking for me, if you must know. He will be my protegee as soon as he grows out of his stubbornness.”

The Dairy King rolled his eyes at him, “this again? The boy is too old to be ya son. And you two are not exactly square either. This castle doesn't need quarrels - it needs new blood to the bloodline! Someone who will carry forth our name and take over the castle when you're old!”

“I’m immortal, you idiot!”

“Silence!” the ghost demanded and Vlad avoided a third hit of the scepter, “listen to me Vladimir and listen to me good!”

The ghost hovered before him with a sudden menacing tone, his arms stretched as if casting a curse.

“If you won’t change your life as it is, then I will change the tides and take matters into my own hand!”

“I am in no need of your assistance!” the man scowled but the ghosts had already vanished into thin air and left only the scent of gouda in his wake.

Drowning his drink in one swig Vlad’s headache didn't exactly die down but it helped his anger to find an outlet. He didn’t know why the Dairy Kings visits always surprised him. The old fool always showed up on Christmas eve to pester him about an heir and what not.

And it wasn’t exactly like Vlad wasn’t working on it.

Not in the mood for whatever horrible gift Jack had sent him, he left the parlor to rehearse his speech in his private study. 

That room of all had a ghost shield.

The office christmas party was classy as always.

The ice sculptures shaped like fat Santas gulping eggnog were a bit on the expensive side in Vlad’s oppenion, but he held his tongue as he put on his winning smile and shook hands with his employees.

The night had little surprises in store for him, as he had done this for as long he had been the CEO or these humans and he knew the game like the back of his own hand.

The ambitious sycophants would try and get him drunk to agree to terms for their benefit.

A few women with minds on his status as wealthy bachelor would try and seduce him to get their shot at being Mrs. Masters.

The unknown bottom feeders would try to impress him to have him move them up the ladder and others would try to whisper about their rivals in his ear to make him take them down for them.

Others again - mostly his boardmebers and business rivals - would smile and try to undermine him between the lines.

Being the most sober at the party due to halfa metabolism Vlad just took note of all the people he would fire coming morning and drank another glass of strong liquor in front of them all. 

Easily anger those who hoped to get him tipsy enough to get under their thumb.

Despite not meaning a single word of his speech, he delivered it to perfection despite the podium not being where he wanted it. A thundering applus followed his words and he smiled with self satisfaction knowing they were all beneath him. 

His smile didn’t falter as his personal assistant whispered in his ear, “sir, we have received a call to your personal number and directed it to the phone in your office.”

He just nodded, already knowing it was Jack and decided to let the fat oaf wait another hour before he took it.

Chins tired from smiling all night and hand numb from all that shaking, Vlad found his way to his penthouse office and closed the door behind him with a deep sigh. 

Throwing himself heavily in the designer chair, he scowled at the little green light indicating he had a call on hold and forced his tone to be friendly as he took the call.

“Vlad Masters speaking.”

_“Took you long enough, fruitloop.”_

Vlad blinked, having not expected this and then smirked, “hello Daniel.”

Despite his badger’s annoyed tone, he could tell the young man was trying his best to be civil, something he appreciated.

_“I bet you thought it was my dad, you always put on that overly fake tone for him. It’s annoying you know that right?”_

The man couldn’t help but scoff. The number clearly belonged to Fenton Works, so who could blame him for expecting the oaf? But something would seem Daniel had come home for christmas this year. 

Having gained the power to teleport between the Ghost Zone and human world a few years back, Daniel didn’t need to use his parents portal to go to the truce anymore. But perhaps the family holiday had made his badger sentimental this year.

“He does have a habit of calling my firm at this time each year,” Vlad replied lightly, “but it’s always a pleasure to hear your voice, little badger. How is the work at the observatory?”

_“Screw you, you know it's been bad since you blasted off the roof!”_

“Correction,” Vlad smirked, missing how easy it was to rile up the yung halfa, “your ghost wail did that. And if anything that wouldn’t have happened if you hadn't refused my offer.”

Daniel sighed heavily on the other side, “ _ya know what? I’m not gonna fight you tonight. It’s Christmas, I’m over it and I just wanted to know if you’ve opened it._ ”

That had the man by surprise for the second time that conversation, “opened what?”

Daniel groaned, “ _my gift. I sent you a box...you got it in the mail, right?_ ”

Vlad tried to remember if he had received any such package and recalled the gift box next to Jack’s on his table in the parlor.

He could already tell where this was going, “a glitter bomb I presume? Or perhaps a bomb containing a colorful cereal just for my honor. At least let me know if it’s ectoplasmic waste so I know to keep my cat out of harm's way.”

Daniel gasped, affronted and didn’t even try to calm himself as he sneered into the phone, “ _fuck you, you jerk! Just burn it or whatever!_ ”

Vlad raised a brow by the strong reaction and listened to the cut off connection. Putting down the phone he mulled a bit over the younger halfa’s seemingly hurt feelings.

Had Daniel sent him a genuine christmas gift?

No. It was more likely just an act to make him open the damned box and get whatever horrible surprise inside. Daniel was still a child despite his age.

But he would be a liar if he believed nothing had changed between them.

Their rocky relationship hadn't exactly improved since the reunion years ago. Good times had it’s likewise bad times - the latter more than the first. The black and white view of the world Vlad had hoped the young man would grow out of hadn’t happened as fast as first anticipated and if anything their relation as archenemies had only become more intense since Vlad moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to Daniel’s college.

He had hoped that Daniel’s choice of Madison-Wisconsin University was a sign that he was ready to listen to reason and join him, but apparently not.

If anything Daniel had seemed more determined than ever to stay his enemy and widen the gap between them, much to Vlad’s anger. This hostility had then suddenly been turned around after college. Vlad had hoped to tempt the younger halfa with an all-paid internship at his firm and found himself positively surprised when Daniel had agreed to meet him for a tour of VLAD co. 

Daniel had even gone as far as to show interest and play civil with him all morning until Vlad had explained that he wanted for Daniel to succeed him as his protegee.

Not alone had Daniel turned cold, he had picked a fight and left without further word.

Vlad had attempted to get him back with more job offers but Daniel, stubborn as always, had his own plans and landed himself a job at a planetarium.

A waste of potential in Vlad’s oppenion.

After that fiasco the silence had lasted for little over a year. Vlad had taken the time to study the crown and ring in order to break their all consuming power over their host and then suddenly, out of the blue, a phone call had thrown him off the loop again.

This time Daniel had called to invite him to his workplace. Some exhibition that seemed to excite the young man as he had worked on it all year with a team. Vlad had been mildly impressed to know Daniel had been promoted to head of his department and agreed to come.

If anything to humor the younger halfa and renew his offer.

Perhaps Daniel had regretted their former departure, perhaps he’d had time to rethink Vlad’s offer. Perhaps he was ready to admit he needed Vlad’s guidance. Under all circumstances, Vlad had gone and had a personal tour of the exhibition.

Daniel’s behavior had struck him as...off. But he had pushed it aside and he admitted now that smugly implying that he knew why Daniel had asked him to come wasn’t a wise decision taken by the fragility of their relation.

Daniel had once again grown cold by the offer and as their nature predicted, they had fought. The building had collapsed (not entirely his fault) and the young man had ordered him to leave.

The silence had been...longer this time.

That was until Vlad had received a call one late evening. It hadn't been anything groundbreaking, just small talk. Then Daniel had called him again a week after. It was somewhat funny, the calls never led to anything in particular. They were simply just about Vlad’s day and topics Daniel wanted his opinion on. 

Sometimes they spoke of ghostly topics, others just about the weather.

But if Vlad as much as uttered the word “protegee”, “apprentice” or “offer” Daniel would simply hang up. But always return for another call.

It was strange. But also endearing.

Even when Daniel would take his word the wrong way, it was still an entertaining conversation, something Vlad had come to cherrise. Even when Daniel would sneer after Vlad would let him know that if he wanted to be his protegee all he needed was to ask, it still had its charm. 

Even the part where Daniel would end the conversation by calling him something profane and then hang up...they both knew he would still call him back.

It was all very confusing as it was charming to the billionaire. But if this was Daniel's ridiculous way to keep in contact, then Vlad would allow it. At least until he would take over the world with the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire and demand Daniel's full cooperation with or without his consent. 

Vlad couldn’t tell when, but the day was steadily approaching. 

With his influence and alliances growing stronger in the Zone and the artifacts of power in his possession, it was only a matter of time. All he had left to do was break the curse clinging to the crown and ring and he would be unstoppable.

He had yet to figure the exact procedure and it did rub him the wrong way. The corruption curse embedded in the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire would make any bearer succumb to power hungry madness when worn for too long and when Vlad took the planet he wanted to be in full control, not the slave of these mere power-boosting artifacts.

But so far none of his scientific methods had paid off and none of his books, as well as Ghostwriter’s library, had given any leads of how to break such a curse.

But all obstacles aside, he knew he was close.

When Vlad returned home from the christmas party he was greeted by the maids and his butler’s warning that several more letters had arrived in the mail. 

Vlad could barely believe his luck and silently congratulated the staff on their intuition when he found a new fresh bottle of strong whisky waiting for him in the parlor.

The box from Daniel was still standing ominously next to Jack’s and just to have a goal, Vlad decided to open it last.

If anything to make sure whatever unpleasant surprise inside wouldn’t harm the rest of his mail.

Maddie strodded inside as if she could sense his distress and jumped to curl up on his lap with a content purr.

“You know me too well,” he smiled and gave a well deserved scratch behind the ear as he started the long slow process of opening mail and feeding it to the fireplace.

As before, the letters were nothing but calls for charity from various college funds and investors hoping to sway him enough to throw money at them. He snorted scornfully as he folded them into paper planes and watched them skydive and crumble to nothing but soot in the fireplace. 

A few Christmas cards from employees and holiday coupons later, the man was left with a roaring fire and Jack’s insisting present.

Grabbing the half opened letter attached, Vlad scratched the back of his cat and read the clumsy written handwriting that was his old college pal. Vlad couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the way Jack was always trying to remind him of their good ol’ time in college.

Apparently the oaf had forgotten that Vlad had barely had barely made it through his first year before the accident.

“Grow up,” he sighed at no one in particular and made a paper plane out of the letter with the direction of the fireplace.

Watching the plane burn away and go up in smoke did bring a smile to his face, and he turned to the giftbox to see what the fool had come up with this year.

He almost couldn’t believe his eyes.

Of all the things Jack Fenton had kept from the college days the Skunk-Punk t-shirt was his last guess. Wrinkling his nose Vlad could still smell the sweat and beer clinging to the cheap fabric and the small stain on the sleeve had a certain familiar fudge consistency to it.

So not only had Jack Fenton sent him an old t-shirt too small for him. It was also filthy.

Reminding himself to disinfect his hands later he rolled the garment into a ball and threw it at the fire. Having never had any moves (as Maddie would tease him) the ball didn’t even get close to its goal and hit the wall beside the fireplace.

 _Maybe it’s a sign,_ he humorlessly thought to himself. A sign that no matter how many bridges and strings he burned, those college days just wouldn’t wash off. To think that a single year of one's life could be tied so permanently to one's existence and haunt him for the rest of his life...well it was almost enough to go kill Jack for. 

And maybe Maddie. 

Now that the days of his love for her had died out with her rapidly aging, he had started to resent her as well. All that was left for him was Daniel.

And so he turned to the last package on the table.

The first thing he noticed was the wrapping. He knew Daniel wasn’t making big money, but wrapping a gift this porely could only mean he had done it himself. The color scheme of yellow and green was a pleasant surprise, though with Daniel’s teasing regards to his football team it was probably just another attempt at taunting him.

Shaking it next to his ear he tried to estimate it’s content and found little to no clues.

“Brace yourself,” he warned Maddie and formed a ghost shield around the package just in case it was a glitter bomb and lifted the lid.

No explosion. Neither glitter nor ectoplasmic waste.

What he did find wrapped carefully in bubble wrap however, was a single rose. And not just any rose. A perfect translucent rose of pure ice. Touching the paper thin petals Vlad was stunned to find that it had to be Daniel’s own ghostly ice that had shaped this work of art. 

The rose was cold, but none-melting and no air bubbles besmirched the pieces of ice.

It was simply that. Perfect.

To say Vlad was confused by the beautiful gift was an understatement and he grabbed the letter at the bottom of the box with great curiosity.

_**~~Dear~~ Vlad** _

_**I hope you like the flower. It took forever to finish and hours to figure out. Like how hard can it be to form a stupid flower you ask? Turns out it’s pretty hard.** _

_**I don’t know I just started making it and I guess it was with you in mind. Ya know, you like stupid nice stuff and all that. So here you are.** _

_**It took five months to make exactly and as you can see I've gotten better at using my ice power. I don’t know about you but coming to terms with my ice powers took some time and not only do you get them out of the blue, you also have to figure out how to handle them with respect and all that.** _

_**What I’m trying to say is it’s kinda like with you and me.** _

_**You're part of my life and I have to figure out how to handle that and now that I’ve had some years to get used to you, I want to try to accept you.** _

_**Maybe if we come to terms with one another and find a way to coexist we can come to create something just as nice as that rose...** _

Intrigued Vlad took a sip of his drink and almost choked when he started to realize this wasn’t just a letter meant for a truce. Daniel was confessing his love to him.

_**I know you just see me as a stupid child, but I can’t stop thinking about you and if you would give me chance I would like for us to start from scratch. I like talking with you over the phone and maybe you’ve already figured it out but if you haven't, then I just want to let you know I care about you.** _

_**If you just want to stay friends that's fine too.** _

_**Ps: promised my dad to ask if you’ll visit around noon tomorrow.** _

_**Danny.** _

“Now isn’t that precious?”

Madie lifted her head to watch the laughing man and nuzzled his shirt as he shook his head in amazement. Who would have thought that Daniel would take a fancy to him? Well, he hadn't. Of all things he would never have believed to have that effect on the young man.

He made a quick math calculation just to make sure - what was Daniel again these days? Oh 26. How the time flies as they said.

Rotating the whisky in his glass Vlad mulled this new information over and reread the letter again, a plan slowly forming in his head.

He could use this to his advantage. Heavens know he could.

If Daniel truly was as smitten with him as he seemed to put into writing then maybe it was time for Vlad to extend a new kind of offer to the halfa. His own feeling for the young man was mostly patronizing and fatherly, but perhaps playing into the young man’s feelings was the needed move to seize control of the halfa. 

Not that he had any such feeling for the halfa. But he could work around it. The most important part was to bring Daniel home and get hold of him before he took over the world. Though he was Daniel far superior in strength a Daniel by his side was much to prefer over a Daniel on the opposing side.

“Perhaps a little viste to make a certain halfa’s Christmas wish come true would be the right move,” he mused.

Maddie mewed, something he chuckled at.

“Oh hush, I would never cast you aside.”

That seemed to please the cat and she purred as he scratched her back. 

Twirling the rose between his fingers Vlad had made it to his bedroom to retire for the night. 

With a call to have a plane prepared for tomorrow morning, he should be able to get to Amity Park and suprise Daniel with a visit while they were still unwrapping gifts under the tree.

Picking out his best suit and securing the rose in a vase by the window, Vlad dressed for the night and put on his name embroidered dressing gown to keep the cold at bay.

With Maddie sleeping at the foot of his bed and the castle silent for the night, Vlad was in the middle of brushing his teeth when the sudden sound of music came from outside the window.

The jolly sound of carolers was almost enough to make Vlad break his toothbrush. 

Waiting for the staff to turn them away, he was increasingly annoyed by the continuous sound of christmas songs and looked out the window to see why the problem wasn’t dealt with.

With his bedroom window facing just an odd angle it was impossible for him to spot the people at his door, while the song got right through.

 _“Gingerbread,_ ” he cursed and closed the window, hoping it would shut the sound out.

Oddly enough it did, but only for a second. Now it sounded like they were inside…had one of his maids let them in?

If that was the case they were fired. Ghost or not. He hasn't allowed a staff of ghosts to roam freely on his domain for the price of keeping his castle pristine just to have his clear rules broken.

Tying the knot of his gown he stepped into a pair of slippers and made his way down to the grand entrance to stop whatever nonsense was at play. Phasing most of the way and making the last part on foot to not let any humans see his powers he was surprised to find the hall empty and dark.

No carolers. No staff.

Humming in slight curiosity Vlad walked up to the door and listened. No sound. He did the last deed of opening the door to look outside and found it just as dark and abandoned as his entrance hall.

Closing the door Vlad was alone and rather confused. Had he had too much to drink perhaps?

He felt a slight buzz from the session in the parlor, but no immediate sign of being too drunk to function. Perhaps the stress was getting to him.

He had been working overtime for the last two months and the work at the lab with its many frustrations and lack of results had taken a turn on him.

That and he could need a snack.

Making a quick detour to the kitchen, Vlad found himself a platter of cheese and helped himself to some charcuterie and grapes.

Bringing his cheeseboard upstairs, he grabbed a book to try and relax while he ate and soon found his eyes getting tired. Leaving the leftovers for the staff to clean when he left in the morning, Vlad put the book aside and snuck under the covers so as to not disturb Maddie in her sleep.

He was ready to close the heavy curtains of the canopee bed to get as comfy as possible when the echo of carolers returned.

The man listened, confused and slightly startled.

Once again it sounded as if from inside his home. The sudden idea that they had let themselves in and walked around the castle singing was so absurd and inraging that he had to shake his head.

They wouldn’t dare…

But what they would and would not dare seemed less important than the single fact that the sound of merry songs were coming closer. Vlad stepped out of his bed with wide eyes as the sound seemed to have moved to his very corridor and now all but banged on the door to his master bedroom.

“What in the world?” he whispered and walked slowly closer to the door, the sound of voices almost hurting his ears as they raised in volume.

Grabbing the handle of his door, he could practically feel the vibration of their voices running through the wood and with a scowl he opened the door wide.

Nothing. A dark empty corridor.

Looking down the corridor Vlad was nothing but rattled. There was no one there. Just the loud silence of his castle and horrifying thought that he might be going mad.

“Not mad...well...not yet,” a voice concluded.

Turning fast enough to make his neck snap, Vlad found he was not alone. Standing tall and illuminated by his own blush glow and the moonlight of the french doors to the balcony, a ghost in a purple cloak observed him silently.

Vlad was almost at loss of words. No ghost had been able to sneak up on him since he got his ghost powers. Even now that he sought for the ghost's ecto signature, it was as if the ghost was a void. 

Unreadable. But not hidden, just unable to comprehend.

“Who are you?” the billionaire sneered, not liking having his home and privacy breached, “if you are here to fight for my territory or rob me of my artifacts, you’re making a grave mistake.”

“No need to freet,” the specter assured, only adding to Vlad’s ire by assuming he was frightened of him, “I am simply here to help you. Your father's father reached out to me.”

“My father's -” Vlad groaned and shook his head, he should have erased the Dairy King from the world years ago, “I see. Since you seem so deep in my affairs I believe it’s only fair if you introduce yourself. Perhaps then I will receive you as a guest instead of an intruder.”

The ghost smiled, his red eyes lighting up in mirth, “I see. Then let me introduce myself, I am the keeper of time, but just as Danny, you may call me Clockwork.”

Daniel knew of this spector? Vlad’s surprise soon turned sour. Of course Daniel knew this old and ancient ghost. The halfa had an annoying tendency to stumble into such things with little effort, while Vlad had to attempt long restless research just to know of such deep Zone anomalies. 

Of course, Vlad already knew of this ghost, though he’d yet to greet him in person. At least until this second. Clockwork, father of time, timekeeper, all knowing ghost of time and one of the ancient gods among ghosts, was a crazy powerful interty fully in control of time itself if not birthed by its creation. 

Despite the Observators controlling the Zone, this ghost was the only last ancient to still be in control of his trait and rule under their watching eye.

Vlad had once attempted to seek him out for the sake of going back in time and winning Maddie back, but just as so many other legends, it was unknown if the ghost was just a mere fairy tail or historical fiction.

Well, now he knew the truth.

It was more or less staring him right in the face. He wondered if the Observators had given the ghost that curious scar or if that was part of his ghostly design.

“A pleasure,” Vlad replied, eyeing the staff the ghost seemed to lean on…

Said ghost changed into an older version of himself and brushed a strand of white hair out of his wrinkled face, “no need to get tempted by my staff, Vlad Masters. Possessing it won't give you the power of time, it’s a mere conduit of my own powers.”

Changing into a child, the ancient ghosts floated up to his face, pointing at him with wide eyes, “as said, I am here to help you, not fight. And despite your fellow ghosts plea for my help, it’s not for his peace alone I have chosen to seek you out. It has had a long time coming.”

“Why?” Vlad asked, watching the drifting ghost closely as he changed back into an adult, “I haven't attempted to find you for years. If this is Daniel’s doing -”

“It has all to do with Danny,” the ghost corrected with a smile and tapped his staff to have several orbs spread across the bedroom. 

Vlad watched with curiosity as several recordings of Daniel’s life played out before him.

“I have assisted Danny many times in the past...”

Several orbs changed to show a teenage Daniel interact with the ghost. Travel through time to catch Vlad and the infi-map and...fighting his mother in Vlad’s lab?

“...changing the present...”

Vlad tried to remember if the Nasty Burger in Amity Park had ever exploded while he was mayor in it and watched with some confusion as Daniel sat broken on the ruined street calling out in tears and distress.

“...leading him to strange futures...”

The man was shocked to see young Daniel push a younger version of Vlad from the very portal that made him a half ghost and hit his father instead.

“To make things clear,” the now old man Clockwork said and called Vlad’s attention back to him, “Danny Phantom’s future is intertwined with yours in all the ways that matters. And since he is my responsibility to keep on a righteous path, I need to first ensure that you won’t change that outcome.”

All the orbs changed from pitch black to a scarlet red as several sights of burning buildings, destrucking and war played around them. Vlad just nodded, already knew what this visit was about.

“I won’t go down so easily. The ring of rage and crown of fire is rightfully mine.” 

Clockwork just laughed, now a child and Vlad turned to him, ready to fight for what was his.

“Oh I know you will. That’s why I’ve come to change your future,” the ghost promised and assembled the orbs to three bigger orbs in front of him, “tonight you will be haunted by three spirits. The first will come when the bell tolls one.”

The first orb lit up in a cold white light.

“- the second will show when the bell tolls two...”

The second orb lit a warm red color…

“- and the third when the bell tolls three.”

The third orb remained black and Vlad returned the ghost's red stare with an unimpressed one. Was that supposed to be threatening?

“I would advise you to send all three at once if you wish them to stand a chance.”

Clockwork just wagged a finger at him, a gesture one might show a naughty child, but here it was closer to the movement of a grandfather clock’s pendulum.

“Without their visits,” the ghost warned, “you cannot hope to change the doomed path you currently tread.”

Vlas found that utterly ridiculous, how dared this ghost try and change his fate? His destiny!?

“My plans are already happening as we speak,” Vlad drawled, “they will not change because of some henchmen you might send to deal with me!”

The ancient ghost returned to his adult form and had the orbs burst into light, “I know...but then again. **I know everything.** ”

The blinding light widened and soon consumed everything around it.

Vlad blinked as the light vanished and found the spector gone. Just as the carolers his bedroom was dark and silent. Like it had never happened. The last was likely to be believed with Maddie sleeping undisturbed on the bed, but Vlad wasn’t some human who could dismiss occurrences like these.

He was a powerful half-ghost. Something those three visitors would soon find out.

Taking his precautions, Vlad reminded himself to take down the Dairy King and put up a triple ghost shield around the castle and his own bedroom. The ghost was annoying as he was, but to go to Vlad’s enemies and conspire against him? 

“Him being family isn’t enough to plead a case,” Vlad promised darkly and closed off the portal with double security.

No ghost was coming for him tonight. He had a plane to catch tomorrow morning and he would need his sleep.

The bell of the old grandfather clock in the corridor woke Vlad from his sleep.

He knew without counting that it was second to one and he waited in silence. With every second getting closer he awaited the imminent arrival of his first opponent and the short fight it would be when it hit his shield.

The first bell rang and Vlad waited patiently.

Nothing.

Good the same. He still had a few hours before he had to get up and so he turned to lay on his left side to catch a good shut eye.

Then the cracks of his bed curtains lit up in blinding white light.

 _“Peppermint canes,_ ” he cursed and turned ghost to deal with the intruder.

Only to find he couldn't.

Vlad’s midnight blue eyes widened in terror. Oh god, his power…

He sat up with a start as the curtain parted slowly and let the blinding white light consume his eyesight. Blinking the tears out of his eyes, he blinked some more by the sight of a child floating next to his bed.

He almost choked, “Da-Danielle!?”

The little ghost girl, serene and shining a pure white light that seemed to stream from her core, just smiled at him. Shaking her head, her pale flowing gowns and long white hair swayed along with her feather light movements, as if she was an excostic underwater fish.

“I am the ghost of Christmas Past,” Danielle retorted in a faint bell like voice and he shook his head in disbelief, but then it hit him.

Danielle had to be 23 by now. She wasn’t 12 anymore…

“The past?” he asked, still trying to figure why this ghost was parading as his failed clone daughter.

“Not just any past,” not-Danielle chimed, “your past. Don’t let this form fool your senses, Vladimir. I am simply a manifestation of a part of your past.”

“I see,” he frowned and tried again to reach his core, “clever of you to use the Plasmius-maximus on me.”

She laughed, a rain of bells ringing in pace with her white light, “I am not here to fight you, I am here to help you.”

Now where had he heard that one before?

“I am not in need of help,” he sneered and stood to get to the ecto gun in his nightstand.

“Oh but you are,” she smiled and took his hand, her strength keeping him from taking one more step, while being light as any child’s small hand, “now come, lets relive the past!”

Vlad barely had the chance to protest as the french doors burst open and they shot outside and into the cold night of Wisconsin farmland. 

“Where are you taking me!” Vlad screamed against the harsh wind and the ghost raised her little hand before them making the sky turn blinding white with snow.

“To a christmas eve, many years ago -”

The blinding light exploded and Vlad covered his eyes in pain. The ringing in his ears soon stopped and the white light was replaced with red. Letting his hands fall he blinked a few times and swallowed by the sight of the man before him.

Harold Masters was smiling at him.

Alive and in the flesh Vlad felt more than beside himself by suddenly being face to face with his deceased father and pulled himself together to greet him in a proper fashion. But then the man’s eyes turned from him to the woman passing Vlad from the left.

“The castle looks amazing, dear. You’ve really outdone yourself,” he praised the woman and kissed her chin, something she smiled at with a light blush.

“Mother...” Vlad whispered, but neither Mariam nor Harold Masters seemed to hear or notice him at all.

Seeing them both alive and together...Vlad swallowed a lump in his throat and admired them both for a second. Sitting by the couch next to the open fireplace, the two seemed like they had stepped right out of memory lane. Powerful and pristine as he remembered them.

As always, his father was in his unblemished suit complete with a bolo tie he would later give his son and blond hair tied back in a low ponytail. Something his son would later copy. 

Mariam, twenty years younger than her husband and proud trophy wife with a quick russian temper, brushed her perfect Jackie Kennedy hair to the side to make room for her husband’s kiss on her neck. A beautiful black mane she would later have a son sharing until the day a lab accident turned it silver.

She smiled with sharp painted lips as she adjusted the pearl necklace her husband had moved and whispered something in his ear that had him let out a deep chuckle.

Vlad wished for nothing more than to join them in one of the chairs, but before he could move a familiar voice of the past squealed in glee and he turned to find a little boy sitting surrounded by opened gifts beneath a beautiful Christmas tree.

“It’s a kitty!” the little boy shouted happily and showed off the smale white feline to his parents, fully believing that they too would be surprised by the amazing gift, since Santa had delivered it.

"Gosh who would have thought?” his father grinned with a glint in his eye and mustache curled in mirth.

His wife sent him a stern glance that threatened harsh punishment if he as much as just sparked a suspicion that Santa might be a hoax. Smiling merily she clapped her hands at the 6-year-old.

“Oh how lovely, darling. Santa must have known just what a good little boy you are.”

The little boy grinned and hugged the kitten tight.

Vlad remembered this. All of it. The kitten he would play with during his childhood. The scent of his mother’s perfume by the fire. His father’s guidance as they assembled his train set. All of it.

His parents had gone far to make sure every Christmas was perfect and filled with open fires, cookies for Santa and gifts of every desire. Christmas had been the best day of the year for Vlad. Only his birthday could compete.

That was...until his father's cardiac arrest. The many years of work as a successful business man for the Masters Dairy company and drinking whiskey like it was water…

His mother had been devastated. Vlad had been lost. The money they had went into keeping the castle running and his college fond. He was going to take over the crumbling company when he graduated. Something he had dreaded and tried to forget with paranormal studies on the side. 

His mother would walk the corridors like a ghost in the empty halls of the castle where the staff had long since left due to the lack of money to pay them with. Like the castle she would slowly lose the shine of her black perfect hair and grow old, winkeled and a former shell of herself.

And just like her husband her heart would in the end give in. It had stopped pumping her life giving blood the day they called to inform her that her son had had an accident at college.

The man let out a shiver. Seeing them like this...young and perfect, as perfect as he remembered them...

“I need to talk to them,” Vlad uttered before he could correct his own idiocy and the ghost beside him smiled in melancholy.

“This is the past. A vision. All that you see here has already happened and can’t be changed as it is.”

“Unless Clockwork wishes it so,” Vlad corrected her and she smiled more fondly.

“Oh? Any particular things you wished changed?”

The warm flickering light of the fire blurred slowly along with the lovely scene and was soon replaced by a warm summer sun shining through a small window in a cramped college dormitory of Madison-Wisconsin University.

Sitting alone on a neatly made bed, a young Vlad Masters was flipping through the brochure and papers he had received from the university. A map laid next to his sneakers clad feet while he flipped through a few papers with different class schedules, dorm rules and offers of freetime activity on campus.

Vlad observed the young man with a slight smile. He had been so socially awkward back then. Utterly lacking the skills he now possessed and making himself out to be a allof, if not unfriendly type to most. It seemed like aeons ago since he’d used to live and breathe in this cramped dorm room. 

The green and gold t-shirt on his past self matched the banners with badgers and Green Bay Packer logos on the walls. An empty bed and left side of the room was still bare and Vlad knew that would only last for another few seconds before Vlad old room mate would bust inside like a storm with no calm.

Changing his life as he knew it...

“Hey-oh room-mate!” a very young - very clamorously - Jack greeted as he almost broke down in the door in his excitement and had both past and present Vlad Masters jump out of their skin in shock.

“Oh uh...hello, I’m Vlad -” the young Vlad slaipantly greeted with a frown and almost crawled up the wall when Jack attempted to rattle the bones out of him with a hand shake of both hands.

“Hey my name is Jack Fenton - but you can call me Jack! All my friends do.”

Young Vlad was still trying to get over the first contact but mustered a confused, “because it’s your name?”

“This one gets it!” Jack grinned and took the liberty to dump his things on Vlad’s neatly made bed and throw himself in it next to him, “you’re a big brainy one right? Good cause I need help to figure out where the orientation is on this map, I’m already lost and only found our room by accident. My parents are still running up and down the halls with the rest of my things - hey you like fudge? My mom brought lots of it for my new room-mate.”

Opening up a tupperware container filled with sticky cubes of fudge, young Vlad recovered from the intensity of his new roommate and collected himself.

“Not particularly,” young Vlad said and wrinkled his nose at the mess on his bed, but then stopped as he found several things of interest in Jack’s moving boxes, “is that a ghost wave recorder?”

“I was easily impressed back then,” present Vlad scoffed as they watched the two college students bond over ghost theories, “Jack seemed to know all there was to my interest in the supernatural. But with a family of ghost hunters going back to Salem it shouldn't surprise anyone he’d inherited the family business.”

The ghost of the past spoke with a light tone, “he was different, carefree and doing what he wanted. You admired that.”

“Jack was a fool and always will be,” Vlad corrected the ghost, suddenly feeling no joy by the past presented before him.

“He might not have been the sharpest,” the small ghost girl admitted as Jack dropped one of his own belongings on the floor in eagerness to show Vlad, “be he was loyal to you. He loved you dearly.”

Vlad scoffed, scorn making his voice turn cold, “that idiot buffoon was the reason I lost my chances for happiness with Maddie. My social life, my mother. He sent me to a living hell in the hospital.”

Not having talked to anyone about this for years had old grudges and ire make his hands shake and had he been able to reach his powers, his eyes would be red as a forest fire.

“He left me there to rot! His friendship had no value, it all meant nothing the second he got what he wanted!”

As spoken into life, they both watched as young Vlad Masters’ fate was sealed by the prototype portal and wheeled out of the college with a face covered in hideous blisters to the rest of the students' horror and disgust. 

“It was an accident,” the small ghost let out, “even the best can fail those they love...”

Vlad opened his mouth to explain the ghost she was wrong when he found himself outside of his quarantine cell of the hospital.

The stark white corridor echoing with pants and running footsteps.

“Not again,” one of the silent doctors of Vlad’s wing of the hospital sighed.

He signaled to two helpers to stop the sweating and panting Maddie and Jack who tried their best to get through.

“You don’t understand! We have the right to see him!” Jack protested and tried to see over the men’s shoulder, hoping to at least get a glimpse.

“His mother just died, he has no family - we’re the closest he got,” Maddie argued and protested as she was grabbed, “we have the right as closets relation to at least know he’s okay!”

The doctor sighed and walked past Vlad who watched with a frown.

“Listen here you two,” the doctor scowled, “unless you’re family you can’t keep breaking in here to see him. And even if you were, you would have to go through several chambers and procedures of hygiene to just get a glance at his closed chamber. And as things are, he’s in a deep coma and we can’t say for certain when he will wake up.”

“What!?” Maddie gasped and grabbed Jack who turned pale.

“You mean…?”

“Yes,” the doctor sighed and put on a more soothing tone, “he might never wake up. And as things are, we have estimated he might not last the week.”

Maddie covered her mouth, tears flowing from her eyes. Jack bit his lip to try keep the tears at bay with little help.

“But...it was just a few glowing pimples...” Jack muttered, like the reality of the situation could be undone by that knowledge, “he was still on his feet, you people were the ones telling him to lay down. He was up and going just -”

“I’m sorry. But with most of his organs losing functions and his body needed help to breathe...you need to go home and wait for further news. Please know that he is in good hands.”

“Can you at least take a letter from us?”

Vlad watched with a deepening frown as a letter was produced from Jack’s jacket.

“I’m afraid not, a simple letter might be the contamination that finishes his already weakened immune system if his failing lever doesn't. And as said. He’s in a coma.”

Vlad watched it all with a slightly opened mouth.

They had come back for him.

Why didn’t they....when? When was this? What letter? He never received a letter! Vlad felt his chest tighten, new emotions fighting old and trying to make sense of the story he had always believed to be true.

The story in which they forgot about him and didn’t care what had happened to him. The one where they had never come to see him or even left a letter. The one where he woke up and received a wedding invitation.

The one where he hated Jack for stealing Maddie and leaving him behind.

“It’s a lie,” Vlad reasoned angrily, “it’s a vision you made up to ruin me. This is just cruel. None of this is real.”

“I told you these were shadows of the things that have been,” the ghost smiled sadly, her light strong and hurtful to the eye, “they are what they are.”

“This doesn't change anything!”

“But it does explain them,” she whispered.

 _“Gingersnaps,_ ” Vlad sneered and covered his eyes to try and think, “get me back to the present. Sent me back right now.”

“As you wish,” she replied and lifted her hand once again to turn the white of the hospital hall into a painful light that blinded him.

When he opened his eyes again she was gone and Vlad was alone.

When the clock neared two Vlad was fully awake and ready in his chair by the bed.

Having spent most of the last hour processing the vision the Ghost of Past Christmas had shown him, he had more or less come to terms with the reality that Maddie and Jack had tried to see him in his misery.

But that didn’t mean he had forgiven them.

They should have kept trying - and the accident would never have happened if Jack hadn’t been such a clumsy idiot ruining the portal in the first place. That they had done the minimum effort to see him at the start of his 7 year long coma, did little to calm the old anger that had fueled his plans of revenge for all these years.

Turning ghosts and securing he had once again control of his powers he waited with narrowed eyes for the second ghost.

“Come on,” he whispered as the clock got closer out in the corridor, “try and sway me if you dare.”

Maddie purred in her sleep and Vlad took a deep breath when the clock rang two. To his horror, his powers were once again gone and he was back to his human form.

Were these ghosts controlling him in a dream!?

What was this madness!?

_“Deck the halls with boughs of holly_

_Fa la la la la, la la la la fa la la la la, la la la la_

_'Tis the season to be jolly_

_Fa la la la la, la la la la fa la la la la, la la la la.”_

Vlad stared out into his bedroom and was taken back by the sudden warm red glow filling the place and the transformation of his home.

Music played from every corner of the room, while Christmas trees decorated with shining stars, apples and angels stood in each conor like tall pillars. The shining fresh leaves of holly, mistletoe, and ivy reflected the light in his tall mirrors and the cold fireplace was now a warm fire. 

Pile after pile of christmas gifts, toys and food in all possible variations flooded the room around him and at the center on a golden tron was a smiling giant.

“You!?” Vlad spat in anger, but the ghost with the face of the Dairy King just let out a jolly laughter like the most impressive interpretations of Santa Claus and shook his head in amusement.

“Not your great-grandfather, Vladimir. Just a familiar appearance to reflect your present life. I am the Ghost of Christmas Present! Come forth and know me better, man!”

Vlad was still a bit shocked by the ghost’s size, but accepted that once again this wasn’t a ghost he knew. 

This giant might bear the Dairy King’s face, but the big beard was fiery red and where the king never went anywhere without his dairy themed garments, this giant was clad in a long red robe with a torch rather than an ice-cone septher and this ghost had his head decorated with a crown of holly.

As if Santa and Jesus had decided Christmas needed their strange love child.

As the past ghost hadn’t exactly been violent and simply informing and he was without his powers, Vlad supposed he could tackle this new opponent with simple words. Smirking he locked his hand on his back.

“And what may you wish to show me, hmm?” Vlad asked, grinning coldly, “the first ghost was set on the unchangeable past but the present is very much able to be changed.”

“Indeed!” the ghost bellowed with a large friendly grin, “the present is ever changing. Just look at me! Have you ever seen the likes of me before!?”

“Can’t say that I have,” Vlad admitted, impatient to see where this was going so he could get back to bed.

“That’s because I was born today!” the ghost exclaimed, “but perhaps you have seen my brothers? They have been before me just as my younger brother will be the new Ghost Of Christmas Present!”

“I believe I would have remembered at least one,” the billionaire shrugged and wondered if this ghost was part of Jack’s lineage - the similarities were positively impossible to overlook, “I take you have many brothers, then. Any of them named Fenton?”

“More than eighteen hundred,” the ghost laughed and had the fire of his torch sparkle like stars over the ceiling.

“Sounds like a Fenton barbecue,” Vlad joked, recalling that one summer weekend he went home to Jack’s place and endured a Fenton Family meeting.

So many Jack shaped people…

So much ham and ranch in one place…

“Behold my wealth!” the ghost bellowed and gestured with wide arms to the transformation of the room, “the riches of the earth and harvest for the greatest day of the year! Enough to share with all!”

Vlad eyed the splendor with little interest, “how charitable of you.”

“Charity is the greatest power a man can possess! A selfless act always sparks another and those who have all have the means to help everyone. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Vlad faked a smile, “how very filantropic of you. I’m more of an investor myself, but I’m sure you already know this.”

“Oh I know,” the ghost smiled, though Vlad couldn’t help notice a hint of reproach in his tone, “greed can be a dangerous habit, my friend.”

“So can gluttony,” Vlad joked and eyed the giant’s beer belly barely hidden under the rope.

“No time for jokes! Touch my robe!” the ghost suddenly ordered cordially and lifted out the fabric for Vlad to grab.

Knowing he wouldn’t get any peace before he did, Vlad sighed and pinched the ghost’s robe. It had not gone past him that the ghost was naked underneath.

Unlike the ghost of the past, the giant's way of transportation was more like Vlad’s own teleportation powers, just less smoke and more fluent.

“And where, If I might ask, are you taking me, hmmm?” Vlad asked as the world still hadn't stopped it’s blurry form and the giant shrunk down to Vlad’s own height with a smile.

“The place you’re going christmas morning of course! The Christmas present!”

Vlad frowned, but then fell silent as the shape of Fenton Works took hold before them.

Just like the rest of town the hidius eyesore of a building was covered in a fluffy lair of snow and decorated with green, christmas lights and a crooked snowman with a carrot for a noose.

“It would make more sense for me to just to go there in real life -” Vlad attempted to reason but the ghost just ignored him and pulled him in after him as he phased both of their bodies through the front door.

A loud discussion had Vlad’s line of protests come to a halt and he stared as he moved into the kitchen, where Maddie and Jack Fenton were attempting to yell each other's ears off. The preparation for the Christmas dinner forgotten and left on the kitchen counters behind them.

"Santa doesn't care about the speed of light - it’s magic! Not science!”

“It doesn't make any sense and you know it! Reindeers can’t fly, there’s just no possible way that would ever happen!”

“Magic!”

“Science!”

Vlad could barely believe it, “oh god, are they still…” 

The old discussion about Santa had put a damper on those two since they first met in college. Vlad had even been as lucky as to be present the day during Christmas break when he’d made the mistake of asking Jack if he thought Santa should be categorised as a god, cryptid or conspiracy.

The otherwise joking young man had surprised both he and everyone else by angrily defending Santa Clause as a real living being that should be respected.

Maddie had taken that as a challenge and launched a discussion that would go down as the Eternal Santa Debat. Vlad had honestly hoped they had stopped after they married, but apparently that debat was still very much alive and ongoing.

“Funny, isn’t it?” the ghost chuckled with an elbow in Vlad’s side, “those two have only love for one another, but it's become a somewhat tradition for them to discuss the existence of Santa every year.”

“Every year?” Vlad whispered dreadfully.

“Every year,” the ghost confirmed, making Vlad shake his head in sadness.

“I can’t believe they would do that to their children...Christmas should be that one day a year where the family is together. It should be perfect.”

“Perfect is a loose definition,” the ghost shrugged and started to drift upwards, phasing them through the ceiling, “Christmas comes in all shapes and sizes. Just look at them.”

Vlad did and found the ghost had brought him to the top of the building. The Ops Center.

Christmas music blaring from a phone on the floor was turned down enough for the group of people assembled in a circle of beanbags to chat undisturbed.

Daniel along with everyone else didn’t seem to notice the party crashers and continued on with their little party. Daniel, Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley were all three looking at something on the Tech-geeks new smartphone, while Jasmine was in the middle of explaining some psychological topic to a nodding Valerie Gray and bored Danielle Phantom to what seemed a second death. 

His former clone daughter was eating the contents of a chips bag with little to no manners, but Valerie didn’t seem to mind and viped a crum of the younger’s face with a smile that had the clone stick her tongue out.

“Hey share the vinegar and salt for a minute,” Daniel called and got a handful of the chips before going back to watch Tucker’s screen.

Vlad couldn’t say Daniel had changed much since they last spoke in person at the exhibition, but now that he knew of Daniel’s feeling for him, he couldn’t help but regard the young man in a new way.

Having grown out of his beanpole teens with maturing grace, the young man was a pleasant sight to behold. The shoulders were broader and the jaw defined. Daniel had let his hair grow a bit longer but kept it short in the back. 

The old habit of wearing a formless hoodie hadn't improved, but the tight fitted jeans did show off the nicely shaped curves Daniel had gained from his mother’s genepool and daily ghost training.

It would hardly be a problem to accommodate Daniel’s wish. Despite not having the feeling the young man wanted of him, Vlad could see himself liking the aspect of taking Daniel as a lover and enjoying himself while doing so. 

And why not? They were the only two halfas in existence – why not join forces with passion?

The ghost tsked and send Vlad a disappointed glance, “love is a beautiful thing, but very fragile in the wrong hands.”

"Is that a challenge?” Vlad smirked, but the ghosts just frowned and Vlad decided to ignore him.

The question on whenever there was a relationship between Danielle and Valerie Grey was put to an end as the older woman kissed the younger, making the rest of the party go; “oooooohhhhhh!”

Vlad found it strange that those two of all would seek each other out but perhaps it wasn’t so strange after all. He had brought them together after all when he sent Valerie out to fetch her and perhaps their shared hatred for him had started a spark. Vlad couldn’t exactly tell, but he felt as if he should pay more attention.

After all Danielle was his clone daughter...though he hadn't thought of her as anything but a failed experiment for years. In fact, he had believed her dead by now.

“She could have been like a daughter to you,” the ghost suddenly said, making Vlad shake his head.

“It wasn’t meant to be and under all circumstances, it’s too late to fix now.”

“It’s never too late to apologise.”

Vlad refrained from answering that. Instead he returned his attention to the little group of friends as Tucker placed an empty soda bottle in the middle of the circle.

“You know the rules, if ya gotta be nasty, we all gotta be chancy.”

“I hate that tradition,” Jasmine sighed but was drowned out by the chant of “spin the bottle! Spin the bottle!”

The bottle spinned while the young adults screamed their heads off and stopped to point on a dreading halfa.

“Aw shit,” Daniel muttered.

“Language,” Vlad corrected, though knowing Daniel had no chance of hearing him and watched as Samantha suddenly grinned.

“So what’s it gonna be, Danny?”

“Truth,” Daniel hurried to choose, “you always make the worst dares.”

“No way, putting on an ugly christmas sweater is hardly a real punishment for a normal person.”

“But it is if you loath christmas,” Tucker grinned, making Daniel roll his eyes.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. Daniel hated christmas?

“Can someone else ask me?”

“Okay truth,” Danielle proclaimed and thought for a second, before smirking, “alright tell the truth, cousin. Do you seriously still have a crush on the old fruitloop?”

“Why are you always gonna do that!?”

The rest of them grinned, while Samantha patterned his back with a patronizing smile.

The ghost smiled and elbowed Vlad’s sore side, “took him some time to come to terms with his feelings, but Danny has been crushing on you for three years now. They know, they had a hard time dealing with it as well, but they support it. Isn’t that lovely?”

Vlad was a bit surprised it had been that long. That certainly explained Daniel’s strange moodswings the past three years. 

In fact it suddenly explained why the young halfa had suddenly wished to reconnect back when Vlad offered him a tour at the firm. That and Daniel's sudden cold shoulder when Vlad started talking about him as his heir.

Daniel had hoped for a blooming romance between them, not a father-son relation.

“Sorry, it’s just so strange, I mean - it’s Vlad,” Danielle grinned with slight disgust,making Vlad glare.

“Any change in that department?” Jasmine asked, saving her brother some ridicule.

Daniel shrugged, “well, we still talk over the phone and it’s nice, but I don’t think he knows how I fell...but I did send him that rose I showed you...and a letter.”

"Still you should be careful,” Samantha warned, making Vlad snort in scorn.

Yes she would be jealous wouldn’t she?

“I know, I know,” Daniel sigh and rubbed his neck, “I know It’s not smart or wise or whatever, but I just can’t ignore those dreams.”

Valerie whisteled, making Daniel blush with a glare, “not like that! I just kept dreaming about that timeline. Ya know? The one where I became evil and he lost his powers.”

Vlad stared. What timeline?

“Like he helped me to come back to my own time, when he could just have taken revenge on me for ruining him. But he didn’t. All he wanted was a second chance. I owe that to Vlad. I want that for him.”

Vlad couldn’t help but be touched. Daniel sure was a hero to the bone. But all that talk of having taken Vlad’s powers and left him to ruin in another timeline did anger him enough to make that short second of warmth die just as fast as it had started.

Daniel had a lot to explain when he got hold of him in the morning.

“But those two Vlads are pretty different,” Valerie frowned, “I mean one is a giant asshole who would just love to use you and the other was a broken old man who regretted all his life decisions because he lost his powers.”

“I know,” Danny assued, “and I guess that’s why I’ve put it off for so long to tell him how I feel. He would definitely take advantage of it and use it to control him -”

Vlad couldn’t help but make a slight nod. Touche.

“ - and that would probably break my heart and ruin me but...he should have a second chance and he did say that all he ever wanted was love. So might as well risk it all.”

The billionaire frowned. His plans for the halfa tasting a bit bitter in his mouth now. But he had to remember his bigger plan. Taking over the world would break Daniel under all circumstances. It was just another thing Daniel would have to understand and accept in Vlad’s new world. 

They all would.

With the hours getting closer to christmas eve, the group of friends broke up to go home to each waiting family. Valeire took her old car back to her father’s place along with a waving Danielle, while Samantha and Tucker went home to their childhood homes on foot, promising to come back tomorrow.

Jasmine and Daniel made their last goodbyes to their friends from the door, then looked at each other and sighed before returning to the hell on earth that was their family christmas.

Vlad couldn’t help but pity them. But at least Daniel would have a prospect to a better future when Vlad took him as his partner. Then he would personally arrange to make sure that every Christmas was perfect for his badger.

As the evening progressed, the siblings continued to entertain themselves with christmas specials and candy before the screen while their parents continued their quarrel in the kitchen.

Vlad had all but forgotten their last conversation until Daniel snuck out to grab the house phone and typed Vlad’s number with a nervous expression.

“ _Oh sugar plums_ ,” Vlad muttered, recalling what happened next very clearly.

Having been placed on hold, Daniel dragged a chair to the phone and waited for the office music to end so he could get through to the man. Vlad couldn’t help but regret his decision to make it an hour before answering. The way his badger’s expression would turn more and more chestfallen was torture to watch. 

Daniel had all but decided to hang up when Vlad’s own voice finally cut through.

 _“Vlad Masters speaking._ ”

Daniel rolled his eyes, but his sudden straight posture told the man everything he needed to know, “took you long enough, fruitloop.”

_“Hello Daniel.”_

Daniel smiled the most endearing smile Vlad had ever seen and was yet again stuck by how much had changed between them.

“I bet you thought it was my dad, you always put on that overly fake tone for him. It’s annoying you know that right?”

He heard himself scoff on the other end, “ _he does have a habit of calling my firm at this time each year. But it’s always a pleasure to hear your voice, little badger. How is the work at the observatory?”_

Daniel’s smile turned into that of a frown, “screw you, you know it's been bad since you blasted off the roof!”

_“Correction, your ghost wail did that. And if anything that wouldn’t have happened if you hadn't refused my offer.”_

Vlad cursed his own choice of words as Daniel sighed heavily, looking utterly disappointed, “ya know what? I’m not gonna fight you tonight. It’s Christmas, I’m over it and I just wanted to know if you’ve opened it.”

“ _Opened what?_ ”

Daniel groaned, curling in on himself on the chair like he just wanted to disappear off the face of the earth, “my gift. I sent you a box...you got it in the mail, right?”

Vlad’s mocking voice cut through like a knife, “ _a glitter bomb I presume? Or perhaps a bomb containing a colorful cereal just for my honor. At least let me know if it’s ectoplasmic waste so I know to keep my cat out of harm's way._ ”

Daniel gasped, his eyes filling with what Vlad hated to see was tears. 

He watched as Daniel lost himself to anger and sneered into the phone before slamming it back on the wall, “fuck you, you jerk! Just burn it or whatever!”

Vlad shook his head sadly. If only he had known.

Peeking out from the living room to check up on her little brother, a sad Jasmine Fenton didn’t need a degree to tell how he was feeling.

“I’m sorry Danny. Maybe he’ll call back to apologise when he opens the gift.”

Daniel dried his eyes with a scornful sniff and walked past her with a scowl, “yeah right.”

The young woman sighed but followed him back into the living room. She had prepared cup noodles for them anyway. Everything to avoid the kitchen.

“Never too late to apologise, spirit?” Vlad asked the other and received a smile in return.

“Never.”

They both watched in silence as the siblings finished their measly christmas dinner and followed as Daniel wished his sister goodnight and yelled into the kitchen that he would go out for a walk. No response in return. 

“Where is he going now?” Vlad muttered as they followed Daniel down to the basement.

“The Christmas truce of course!” The Ghost Of Christmas Present grinned and pulled Vlad along as they followed Daniel through the portal.

Now Phantom the young man shot through the Zone at top speed, something Vlad usually couldn’t follow without teleportation, but with his hand still in the ghost’s robe they had no problems keeping up and soon they landed outside Ghostwriter’s library where the celebrations were already at their highest.

Vlad immediately regretted not having attended this year's truce. The location of the truce party changed every year depending on who was hosting and this was a location Vlad would have gained a great many things from. There would have been no limits to all the books he could have stolen from right under the ghosts with a distraction like this.

Knocking on the door, Skulker of all ghosts opened to greet the halfa and Vlad watched with interest as the two exchanged Christmas greetings in good spirit, where they normally would banter. 

“Is Plasmius here?” Daniel suddenly asked, hope clear in his smile, but it was killed just as quickly when Skulker shook his head.

Vlad felt a bad taste in his mouth from seeing Daniel act like it wasn’t bothering him and cursed himself from not having attended the truce yet again.

Following Daniel inside, Vlad and the Christmas ghost phases through the party attendees without problem, while Daniel had to twist and turn to get past several ghosst drunk on the death blossom punch by the bar.

“Phantom, you came,” Ghostwriter greeted while he poured more punch into the bowl and offered Daniel a cup.

“Yeah, wouldn’t miss it for the world. Best party ever,” Daniel grinned with little joy and drowned his cup.

The ghost frowned, but refilled the cup, “what’s the matter? Still hate christmas? Because if that’s the case I was inspired to make a second poem and could use a victim for it.”

Daniel scowled, but the anger was lukewarm at best, “no, I’m just hoping things would be different that’s all.”

Taking a deep breath the young halfa put up a smile and had his third refill, “but hey the night is still young and maybe this year will be different.”

Vlad silently promised that it would be. He could still fix this.

“Hey baby-pop! Where’s my Christmas dance!?”

“And speaking of young,” Daniel grinned and emptied his cup to turn and hug the dead singer, “Ember!”

“What?” Vlad asked and watched in surprise as the blue haired ghost dragged his Daniel out on the already crowded dance floor to perfomed what Vlad would hardly call dance.

They were literary grinding against one another.

Teeth grinding from anger, Vlad didn’t even flinch as the ghost of the present nudged his side with an elbow.

“Don't be so jealous. It’s just a christmas tradition between the two. And he wouldn’t be dancing with her if you had just showed, now would he?”

“Oh believe me,” Vlad promised darkly, “after tomorrow Daniel will never dance with Ember McLain ever again.”

The ghost shook his head, his torch starting to dim, “possessing and love is two very different things. Just remember that.”

“I have nothing but the best intention with Daniel,” Vlad sneered but the ghost’s light only dimmed, his eyes growing pale and sad.

“Your understanding of what is best might not be what is right or just,” the ghost sighed and sat down, his body heavy and crimson beard turning grey.

“If you let me go now, I could still make it to the party and do what’s needed,” Vlad attempted, but the ghost just chuckled, though it sounded more like a deathrattle than a laughter.

Vlad suddenly realised the ghost had aged, his torch nothing but a weak glow, “what is happening?”

The ghost groaned tiredly, “christmas eve is coming to an end and so am I. The vision of the present will meet the dawn of the day to come and you will soon face your last ghost of the night.”

Vlad nodded, “the ghost of Christmas future. Yes, yes, but I believe you of all must understand that time is at its essence. I don’t need to have some ghost show me the future, I already know it.”

The ghost smirked darkly, “you should fear the future. It would be the wise thing to do, man.”

Vlad couldn’t help but chuckle at that, “I am not afraid to spill blood for my ambitions. Yes some people will die and society will be at ruin - at first. Order will be established and my new reign will bring things back to a normalcy. A better future. Your next brother will come to see it I’m sure.”

The ghosts laughed darkly, his mocking tone making Vlad wish he would die out a little faster.

“Yes, such splendid plans. Because all your plans have worked out well haven’t they?”

“Weren’t you dying?” Vlad asked with a smirk and wished his powers back as the aging ghost rose back to his giant size, towering over the halfa with a dark hateful voice.

“You never learn, Vladimir. All that thirst for power, money and revenge and where has it ever brought you? You have no one to warm your castle, no soul to care if you sit alone by the dying fire. The only glimpse of hope for love you have left have you already planned to snuff out in exchange for obedience. You have forgotten what love means. What family, companionship and friendship feels like. You would rather destroy the world than share it’s wealth. You are alone and soon you will know what the price of power is.”

“Oh I know the price, I’ve paid it for years,” Vlad retorted with just as much ire and smirked, “and soon the world will know too.”

Skin getting thinner and stretching across the ghost's paling face, the skull of a monster stared into his soul with a thin whisper for a voice.

“You are your own worst enemy, Vladimir. When you cage what you love to protect it, it will die in your hands. But you need not me to show you this. Heed my last warning...”

“What!?” the halfa spat, seeing the last spark of the torch go out it with a sizzle.

“...he is coming...”

Returning once again to his bedroom, Vlad wasted no time dressing and preparing for teleportation. He would not be here when the last ghost arrived. He would be at the party.

Winning over the certain halfa.

Maddie was still fast asleep on the bed and Vlad blew her a kiss, before teleporting down to the lab to go straight to the Zone. Once inside the portal he could teleport again to the liebrary. He still had time.

Upstairs the grandfather clock filled the dark corridor with its bell. Despite Vlad’s efforts...

It was time.

Stepping through the portal Vlad suddenly found himself a human again and yelped as he fell straight down through the green streams of the Zone.

The stretching green world started turning grey and Vlad gasped as he landed on a hard surface. A thick fog surrounding him.

“This is getting too far,” the man sneered and turned to find his way out when a tall dark figure blocked his path.

Vlad narrowed his eyes, “Ghost Of Christmas Future I presume?”

The figure, tall, broad and hidden by a long hooded cloak simply nodded in greeting and watched the halfa, who returned the hood’s darkness with a pointed stare.

“What’s wrong? Santa's little helper took your tongue?”

The ghost shook like he found Vlad hilarious and the man felt a sudden unease by the very deep if not smooth voice coming from inside the hood. It was oddly...familiar…

“Not quite, but I might eat yours later...”

“Charming,” Vlad replied drily and tried to kill the goosebumps running across his arms and neck.

The figure slowly turned and started going back from where it had possibly come, seeming to find its way easily in the fog. Vlad followed it with a frown. Of all the Christmas ghosts this one had to be the least chatting.

“So will I ever learn what familiar face you're sporting?” Vlad asked to try to get the ghost to at least talk to him as they wandered silently through the endless fog.

The ghost chuckled from inside the hood, “I like it to be a surprise.”

Vlad found that more than just mildly unsettling and watched as an old sign slowly appeared before them.

Vlad frowned and walked closer. The old busted surface of the giant sign was covered in soot and sporting several dents and holes in it.

**Welcome to Amity Park**

**A place to feel safe**

Vlad shook his head. The current mayor could learn a thing or two about maintaining. Vlad had that sign repaired at least once a week back when he was in office. It was tiresome work, but the first thing people saw when they arrived in town. This was just lazy.

“Good to know the town has fallen to ruins without me behind the wheel,” Vlad sighed and had the ghost laugh a harsh sound.

“Oh this is going to take the cake,” the ghost muttered and Vlad was going to ask what was so funny when the fog parted and he noticed the crimson red line of the town.

Or what was left of it.

Burning buildings, open sewers and tuppled streets was all that was left of the town once called Amity Park. Vlad watched the destruction with wide eyes, confused and curious the closer they moved. Several bodies or parts could be spotted among the ruins and Vlad nodded by the state of the town. 

Understanding what the ghost was trying to teach him.

“I see, I’ve already had my first fight here. I already knew taking over the world wouldn’t be without bloodshed. Conquest isn’t for the weak. To take something you will have to kill all obstacles and build things up from ruins. Break a few eggs as they say.” 

The figure didn’t even seem to have heard him. Instead it was looking upwards. Vlad did the same and narrowed his eyes at the two figures flying above.

Daniel, now a bit older and hidden inside an upgraded Fenton Ecto-Skeleton covered in several bruises and spots of both blood and ectoplasm, was fighting someone covered in an aura of green fire. 

It took Vlad a second to realize it was himself. 

“You look good,” the ghost whistled, seemingly admiring Vlad’s future self, “funny how something as insignificant as a ring and crown can bring the worst out in people.”

Vlad frowned and realized that not only was his future self on fire, he was laughing like a maniac and using his full power on Daniel. 

Not holding back.

“Couldn’t break the curse, so you ended up telling yourself you were too strong to be corrupted. I love how fully you believe your own bullshit like that. Your thirst for power got the better of you and you destroyed the entire town when people wouldn’t bow down before the mighty Plasmius.”

Vlad watched the fighting halfas with dread pooling in his stomach. The last shot had been dangerously close to removing Daniel’s head clean of his shoulders...

“And suprise suprise, Danny-boy was the only one strong enough to challenge you. What a hero, just a shame his feelings for you got in the way of ending you sooner. That way he might have saved more people.”

“Ending sooner!?” Vlad gasped and looked up again to see Daniel impale his future self with a spear of ice.

Right through his core.

Both falling, the Vlad of the present watched in horror as Vlad of the future crashed into the broken pavement with Daniel following suit. The impact had a dust cloud rise and the man hurried to the crater where his fallen future had landed. 

Walking into the center of the cloud of dust and smoke, Vlad found the dirty and ragged form of Daniel crawling out from the broken parts of the power suit. Crying for help.

But not for himself.

In the center of the crater a very still Plasmius stared into the dark sky with wide eyes of dying red. The spear had cracked, but the damaged core couldn’t be stopped no matter Daniel’s desperate attempts. Crying for help again the young man tried to kill the flamed eating up Plasmius’ body, but no ice could stop a fire core from burning from inside out.

Daniel started begging him to get up and where his hands of ice had failed, he now attempted to smother the embers of Vlad’s core in desperation.

Vlad watched as his ghostly form was burned away like paper and left the broken body of Vlad Masters beneath. Chest pooling with blood and heart unbeating the young halfa screamed to the sky and tore at his white hair in his suffering.

Vlad felt his own throat tighten by the sight of his own death and reached out for the young man crying for him in such pain.

“Daniel -”

“I didn’t mean to hit your core!” Daniel choked, his body shaking with broken sobs, “I didn’t mean to - I just wanted to break the ring - I just…”

The young halfa hunched over his fallen kin, hands covered in Vlad’s blood and shaking with powerlessness, “I just needed you back. I didn’t mean for any of this...”

Vlad nodded, wanting this to stop, “I know.”

"You know he can’t hear you right?” the ghost of the future snorted and Vlad wished him a painful death.

“I am aware.”

“Good cause we have things to see, c’mon,” the ghost sighed and Vlad followed him quietly into the fog.

The inside of a tower revealed itself next and Vlad beheld the many gears and screens surrounding them. Was this -

“Just send me back! You’ve done it before and you can do it again - can’t you just let me do this!?”

Vlad turned to the scene that was now a clean but desperate Daniel pleading the keeper of time.

The ancient ghost watched the young man with compassion, but turned his back on him.

“I’m sorry, Danny. But the future is better off without Vlad Masters and his schemes. My job is to ensure you won’t follow the same path as the destroyed timeline and turn evil. Without Vlad Masters, that reality will cease to exist.”

“But it wasn’t his fault! It was the Ring of Rage and Crown of fire, just let me go back and destroy them!”

“Your feelings for him won’t change the outcome even if you go back. He loved you in his own way, but it was always his plan to take over the world. With or without you by his side.”

Daniel shook his head, “you don't know that.”

The ghost placed a soothing hand on the grieving halfa’s shoulder, “I know everything. Now leave, I have work to do.”

Daniel’s expression turned to anger, but he did as the ghost had said. His sorrowful eyes soon turned harsh with his blackening heart and the young halfa’s steps came to a halt as he passed a recess with an old dented thermos on its shelf. Green eyes narrowing and then jumping to grab the thermos. 

The time keeper’s hand locked around Phantom’s wrist before he could even grace the surface of the thermos and the old ghost spoke with sadness.

“I’m sorry, Danny. But I can’t let you redo the past. You’re hereby banished from my lair...”

The fog returned and Vlad turned along with the Christmas ghost to see human Daniel at a meeting with several US officers and people of higher power.

“ - and the world is thankful for your service, Mr. Fenton. Without you and your powers the world as we know it would have been in the hands of Vlad Masters.”

Daniel barely nodded. He had lost weight since the last glimpse and Vlad recognised those black rings caused by insomnia anywhere.

“That’s why we would like for you to agree to join forces, son,” one of the officers continued and Vlad narrowed his eyes while Daniel watched him with little response.

“Now that the world recognizes you as a hero,” the leader of the group addressed, “we would like to ensure there is no question about your status. Joining forces with the nation will secure you not only political immunity, but also personal funding and security.”

Daniel’s strong brows frowned, “right...I must be really stupid or something cause I’m having a hard time hearing if ya people is thanking or threatning me.”

The humans shared a few glances and Vlad frowned as well. None of this promised anything good for his badger.

“You see,” one of the smartly dressed women added carefully, “with your newfound popularity and the reveal of half human existence, the eyes of the world will be on you from now on. Judging your every step. It's important that we direct your powers in a way that can benefit the world, not just your little home town.”

“My home town is gone,” Daniel corrected her sharply and she nodded like she cared.

“We know and the President will do all in his power to restore it for you, but you must understand that your powers could be used for the good of the entire people.” 

“Many wars out there that could be stopped by a young man with your skill set,” another officer agreed and they all nodded encouragely.

“Many conflict and terror organizations you could help stop if you only sign this agreement.”

“All you have to do,” a scientist smiled, “is to sign and let us help you destroy those ghost artifacts. It’s no secret that you failed on your own.”

Daniel eyed the contract and then them with a cold stare, “and if I don’t?”

The human’s shared a few glances. Hostile and tense ones this time.

“As we speak the GIW is fighting in congress to have you hunted down and dealt with like a ghost. We see that as a waste of potential. Think of all the things we could accomplish, Mr. Fenton. Without our protection and those artifacts in the nation's custody, you’re closer to resemble a bomb holding his own detonator than a friendly hero. The nation can’t allow such uncontrollable power to exist out of its jurisdiction. Neither can the EU.”

Daniel nodded and then rose from his seat, “I’m sorry but I’m no one's property.”

“Mr. Fenton,” the leader of the suits warned as the halfa created a portal to leave through, “if you leave this room without this deal, we will have no choice but to declare you an enemy of the state.”

“Then nothing’s really changed, has it?” Danny snorted with glowing eyes and left the room.

Vlad feared what would follow and watched as several years passed with his badger on the run from the world. With his immortality the young man soon outlived his parents, his sister and finally friends. People who had been forced to go into hiding along with him as to not be used as bait to draw him out to those who wanted Phantom, imprisoned, dead or worse.

In a dusty parlor of an old dilapidated castle, Daniel stumbled through a portal and landed hard on the old carpet with a painful groan. His clothes were little better than rags and the young man was hugging his lower side where blood bloomed across his jacket at an alarming rate.

"Dani, Dani answer me!” he called into his earphone, but no answer other than static returned his plea and the wounded man sat back against the wall, dragging blood across the floor. Vlad stepped closer to the shaking sight before him.

Having told Daniel for years that his hero work would never come to pay it still broke his heart to see just how poorly the world had come to treat the halfa. Staring right through the billionaire, Daniel’s scared face sunk in on itself, his eyes watching deep inside his own mind.

The years of fighting for his freedom to exist and loss of loved ones had brought a haunted haze to those sky blue eyes. Having no love for the world Vlad had spent years waiting for Daniel to come to see the world as he did and accept the reality that was Vlad’s own…

If only he could take it all back.

Several of the old broken windows lit up with blue and red lights, a siren and megaphone blaring like a call from hell.

“ _DANNY PHANTOM. YOU ARE SURROUNDED AND SHIELDED IN. COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM. WE HAVE DANI PHANTOM IN THE GIW’S CUSTODY, FOR HER SAFETY SAKE COME OUT WITHOUT A FIGHT!_ ”

Daniel’s eyes widened, but it would seem he had no tears left to shed. Vlad expected him to run, the halfa was in no condition to fight, but he could only stare in horror as Daniel phased his own hands into his own midsection and pulled out nothing short of a sack covered in his own ectoplasm.

Gasping for air and coughing harshly enough to spit out blood, Vlad watched as Daniel opened the sack and pulled out the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire.

“No...” Vlad whispered, but this was the future and he had no power here.

“Just to save her,” the young man whispered, hands shaking as he pulled on the ring and lifted the crown before his pale face, “I’m not like Vlad. I can resist long enough to save her.”

Sealing his fate Daniel crowned himself and screamed as his body burst into green flames. Transforming into Phantom, the young halfa trashed the floor as his ghostly figure grew in size and power, turning him into a grotests monster of his former ghost self.

The doors to the parlor exploded and several GIW agents moved inside to surround the kneeling halfa. The flames reflecting in their helm’s visor as the ring of agents charged their weapons. Guns on the halfa the agents awaited the command to end the half-ghost. 

Phantom just snickered like a child, his red eyes blind with rage as he slowly rose with a wide smile of fangs and flames.

The leader of the agents narrowed his eyes, “any last words?”

“Last words are for mortals,” Phantom smiled, the fire intensifying, “all I am is **inevitable.** ”

Vlad shielded his eyes as the bright flames exploded, taking down the agents and castle with them. The echo of screams, guns and Daniel’s laughter dying out as the fog returned to claim them.

“Finally lost the last of his sanity,” the hooded ghost praised, adding more anger to the fire already burning in the billionaire, “don’t blame yourself too much. He would end up like that with or without you to speed up the process.”

“Take me back,” Vlad sneered, he was done with this vision, “the future's not set in stone. I can still save Daniel from this.”

The ghost laughed, a harsh sound that had the halfa wonder just what face was lurking beneath that hood, “save him? From this? And what makes you think you can change his future?”

“Our fates are linked, his future is as much his as it is my own,” Vlad frowned, already planning ahead, “if I destroy the ring and crown this future will never come to pass. Daniel will be safe as long as I’m there to keep his secret. He will lose his loved ones, that I can’t change. But he will still have me and a world to live in. It is not too late to change my mistakes.”

“And what makes you think you will ever be enough for him?” the ghost mocked, making the halfa speake before he had fully realized that it was the truth.

“Because I love him.”

The ghost burst out into cruel laughter, “oh, you are such an loony! You _love him?_ ”

Vlad bared his teeth in anger, this ghost had hit his last nerve, “ don’t talk to me as if you know me! You and your kind are beneath me!”

“ _Am I?_ ”

Vlad forgot his anger as pale blue hands reached up to remove the hood. In the doing, the ghost’s chest was revealed to sport a recognizable D and old hazmat suit. With the cloak falling to the floor the ghost was revealed in his full form and dark glory. 

Blazing blue flames danced across the head like hair and had the smiling face of Danny Phantom stand out blue and menacing. Eyes red like dried blood.

Vlad stepped back, the hairs on his neck standing by the raw power emitting from the being before him, “you’re not Daniel.”

“I was,” the ghost smirked, walking closer, “the human I once shared a body with died more than 10 years ago in a timeline now forsaken. A timeline in which Danny lost everyone he loved and came to rely on you to keep his sanity.”

The ghost smiled, rows of sharp teeth shining in the reflection of the flames, “just a shame you didn’t have the balls to love him then and instead helped him get rid of me.”

“Your timeline...” Vlad frowned, then recalled Daniel’s words, “I lost my powers...”

“Ripped good ol’ Plasmius right out of you,” the ghost snickered, walking closer as Vlad retreated, “you ripped me from Danny’s body, so I took Plasmius out of you to become whole. It was painful, but oh so empowering. Letting you get away to live with what you had done while I had my revenge on the little twerp was just the cherry on top...”

Vlad shook his head, he would never have left Daniel to such a fate, “I am not that Vlad.”

“No,” the ghost of Phantom and Plasmius agreed, “but I am inevitable. Join me Vlad. Even if you succeed, pure little Danny will never join you or your conquest. But I will.”

Vlad shook in revolt as the ghost cradled his face, lust for power and something else shining in those red eyes.

“I see our future clear and cut. I am everything you ever wanted, the perfect protegee, the only one who could ever understand you. I am you, I see all your desires, your thirst for more, the need to rule everything and kill, and maime and own.”

“Stop it -” Vlad sneered and attempted to break free but the ghost was far stronger than he and tightened his grip.

“With me by your side the world is yours to take. I am all you ever wanted in a partner, aren't I? Isn’t power and the means to take what you want what you wanted me to accept? That making the first punch, bringing your enemies to their knees and using your power for your own desires is what you wanted of me? Isn’t it!? Aren’t I just everything you ever wanted of that kid!? _**Aren’t I!?**_ ”

“Not like this,” Vlad denied, the hands around his neck tightening and soon strangling him.

He never wanted things to go this far. All his plans seemed so porpuless now, if he couldn’t have Daniel - his Daniel - then what would world domination even matter? All he ever wanted was love. All he ever wanted...was to not be left behind.

The hands around his neck tightened and cut his last gulp of air. Trashing to get free, the outline of his vision began to blur and darkening.

The ghost chuckled, his eyes shining with malice.

“Why so silent Vlad? I don’t remember biting out your tongue. Come now, won’t you show me just how much you love dear ol’ Danny boy...?”

Vlad’s eyes widened as the ghosts jaw unhinged and opened up in an endless pit of rows of teeth. The smell of death, fire and rot filling his nostrils and deathening him with countless screams for mercy, pain and horror.

His future.

"NOOO!”

Pain shot through his left shoulder as he tumbled to the floor and hit the carpet. The sudden rush of white and coolness had the frantic halfa dig his nails into the very fabric of his blindness and he gasped as the white bed sheet came off.

With his feet still up on the bed, the man slowly came to realize he was back home and had fallen out of his own warm bed. Untangling his body from the sweaty sheets, he found no trace of the Ghost Of Christmas Future and only the light feet of Maddie reached his ear as she looked over the edge to see what her human was up to now.

The calming presence of his prized pet did help to bring him back to his senses and he rose to sit on the bed next to her. Scratching the back of her ear to keep from losing touch with reality again.

“I’m fine,” Vlad whispered, maybe more to himself than her, “I’m home now.”

That simple statement had him realize just how true they were. He was back and free of the journey he must have traveled in a ghost produced dream or halfwaken state. The bedroom held no evidence that any of the night’s chaotic activity had ever happened, but he knew deep down it would be impossible to push this past him as a mere dream.

The alarm had his heart skip a beat and he almost jumped through the roof of his canopy bed. Maddie jumped off to escape the ruckus and Vlad killed the alarm with a still beating heart.

“11.00?” Vlad asked having read the digital numbers.

What day was it again? Checking his phone he was suddenly brought out of his stupor by the fact that his private plane should have taken flight four hour ago. Several missed calls from his pilot and butler only added to the direness of the situation and the man flew off the bed like someone had set fire.

He needed to go see Daniel.

10 minutes later, the man was packed, ready and grabbed the precious rose of ice he had received for Christmas. Holding it tight he turned to leave the room by foot, having somewhat forgotten he had gained his powers back and almost collided with his butler.

“Oh, my apologies I was starting to worry -” his ghost butler greeted, but Vlad wasted no time and grabbed the coat he had dropped on the floor.

“I have no time - do let the staff know they can take the week of for the holiday! All paid!”

“I...” the butler blurred, utterly confused and shocked by the half dressed state of his employee, “as you wish. Can I assist your dressing before taking my leave?”

Vlad just now realised he was still in his pyjamas shirt and eyes the bundle in his ghost butler’s hands, “I’ll take that.”

“Oh I just found it in the parlor and was going to ask -” the butler attempted to explain, but Vlad was already out the door and pulling the shirt over his head as he rushed to the stairs leading down to the entrance hall.

Pulling on the long coat he grabbed the knob of the front door to leave and shocked several Christmas carolers who had returned to make a second attempt at his door.

“My apologies, but I am in a hurry,” he explained and just grabbed his checkbook, writing of a long line of zeros to get them out of the way, “there, now please leave.”

“Oh,” the leader said, eyes going wide by the writing of the check and they watched in surprise as Vlad just kept running down his own lane.

“Merry Christmas!” they called after him and Vlad couldn’t agree more.

Cursing himself as he came to remember his state as an all powerful halfa, Vlad found a hiding place behind a tree and teleported all the way to Amity Park. 

Teleporting over such a distance was exhausting and something he usually never did unless he had no choice, but today all he could think of was making up for his mistakes and getting to the only person in the world who mattered.

Rushing up to the front door of Fenton Works, he was seconds from just hammering away before recalling his manners. Clearing his throat and running a hand through his loose hair (he had left the castle without a single hair tie. The horror!) and checking his breath, he made a few knocks on the door and reached out with his core to try and find Daniel’s ecto signature.

His search was cut short as the door was opened and a surprised Jack Fenton stood in the door.

“Vladdy, you came!”

Vlad barely got a say before he was pulled into a bearhug. Something he normally loathed and did his best to avoid, but today of all days he was suddenly hit by emotions and felt a deep longing in his chest he hadn't allowed to break free from old hate before now.

Even after everything Jack was still loyal to him.

Jack didn’t seem to notice as Vlad slowly hugged him back, but Maddie, who had come to see what all the commotion was about, did. She stared, utterly speechless by the sight of the two men embracing and continued to stare as Jack pulled Vlad inside. 

“Maddie, see who’s visiting!” Jack grinned and then squealed as he took Vlad’s coat and revealed to them both that Vlad was wearing the Skunk-Punk t-shirt.

“Oh,” Vlad said, not knowing how to explain that and put up a small smile, “I’m afraid I don’t have a present in return.”

“Seeing you here is all the present I need,” Jack assured and it hit Vlad like a punch to the heart.

“Thank you, Jack.”

The cup of tea he had with the Fentons didn’t exactly make up for the years he had spent terrorising them, but it felt like a start. Even Maddie, who watched him talk away with Jack, waiting for him to make fun of her husband or likewise, seemed to understand that something had changed after the first 15 minutes. 

She couldn’t tell why that was or how Christmas morning had seemingly brought back the old Vlad Masters they had met in college, but she saw no reason looking the gift horse in the mouth.

Vlad had always been an odd one. Perhaps the holiday had reminded him what really mattered.

“We should bring the band back together,” Jack grinned, making both Maddie and Vlad groan in horror.

“That’s out of the question, Jack. We were horrible, that and none of us ever had any rhythm.”

“Never,” Maddie confirmed, “where would you even find a vocalist?”

“Danny has a nice voice, he would do it,” Jack said, already planning ahead and making Vlad almost choke on his tea.

Daniel.

“That reminds me,” he said standing to break the little party, “I need to speak with him, is he upstairs?”

“Danny? No he’s at a friends house, only Jazz is home,” Maddie replied and emptied her own cup to clean off the table, “she probably knows which one.”

Vlad didn’t doubt that and like summoned a familiar redhead poked her head down the stairs, eyeing the billionaire with distrust.

“Jazzypants see who came to visit!” Jack greeted and the young woman came down with an unimpressed demeanor.

“Vlad, how nice of you to come,” she said to please her parents and turned to her father, “I know you might not have the time but I just saw a ghost fly past my window. Pretty sure it was heading for the supermarked down the street.”

“I’ll get the guns!” Jack yelled like someone was going to beat him to it and rushed down the lab while Maddie ran to start the RV.

“No ghost is going to get away disturbing Christmas day!”

Vlad and Jazz remained standing in the living room while the sound of the RV’s tires screeched out on the street and rushed in the direction of the supermarked.

“There,” Jasmine said, “now what are you doing here?”

Normally, the man would take the time to see how much he could pull out of the woman in exchange for little to no information in a game of trick conversation. But having spent all night changing his ways and promised himself redemption should he wake up alive, he simply stated the truth.

“I need to see your brother.”

“Of course you do,” she sighed, not one bit impressed with his honesty, “listen if you're here to humiliate him or in any way hurt him then -”

“Jasmine please,” the man said, tired of wasting his time and revealed the rose he had carried in his coat, “I’m here to tell him I feel the same way. Now where is he?”

She just stared, then blinked, “...come again? Wait - since when!?”

“Since I received his present last night,” Vlad explained, admiring the wonder that was Daniel’s gift and confession, “since I spent all night having a realization. I need to make things right and tell him how I feel. Now please tell me where he is.”

She still didn’t seem to fully understand, but where there had been hostility she now seemed intrigued.

“Alright, let's just say I believe you have genuine feelings for my brother and you’re not here to twist him around your little finger and take control of him like you’ve tried for the last decade...let me ask you this - why should I believe you?”

“Are you familiar with the ghost of time? Clockwork?”

Her eyes widened. Of course she did. Daniel told his little friends and sister everything.

“He showed me my future, that and Daniel’s evil self from the abandoned timeline.”

“Oh...”

“That would be the right word, yes.”

Letting Vlad into her pink minivan, the two drove to Tucker Foley's house first. 

With Danny not answering his phone or responding to text they had little to no other option than to try and visit his friend’s residence and find him the old fashion way.

He had no illusions that she might trust him, even after revealing what he had, but Jasmine had more or less changed her entire approach to him with that information alone.

The minivan was a bit small and despite being clean, Vlad could tell it was old. Perhaps he could repay her with a newer and better car? Perhaps one with more security and safety instalment than this tiny bucket waiting to get run flat by a colliding vehicle. 

Looking into the rearview mirror Vlad was once again reminded of his loose hair and turned to Jasmine behind the wheel.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a hair tie I could borrow?”

“Uhm no sorry,” she said, her own red bob only needed a hairpin from time to time.

Parking at the curb, the two stepped out into the falling snow and went for the door.

Tucker opened himself and his “merry christmas” got stuck in his throat by the sight of Vlad Masters standing outside his door, “what?”

“Is Daniel here?”

“Uhmmmmm,” Tucker stammered and looked to Jazz for help.

“I’ll explain later,” Jazz promised, “is Danny here? Last thing he told me you three were hanging out.

“We were, but we parted at the mall,” Tucker explained watching Vlad with confusion, slight fear and suspicion, “is Vlad taking you hostage or something? I’m so confused...”

“Later,” Jazz reminded and pulled out her phone, “maybe he’s at Sam’s place then.”

“She forgot her phone here, so you’re not gonna get in touch with her that way,” Tucker hurried to explain and pulled a jacket off the coat rack behind him, “I go grab it and we can go to her place. I wanna know what’s going on.”

Ten minutes drive and awkward silence later they parked outside the Manson townhouse and Jazz hurried to be the one knocking on the door.

“Merry Christmas,” Pamela Manson answered at the door and formed a stiff smile at the sight of her daughter's troublemaker friends.

She was going to tell them to come back later when she suddenly realized they weren’t alone and that no other than billionaire and former mayor Vlad Masters was at her doorstep.

“Oh my posh,” she whispered and hurried to flatten her dress like it had been wrinkled in the first place, “Mr. Masters, what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Hello, Mrs. Manson,” Vlad greeted, vaguely remembering the woman from her many visits to city hall and countless dinner invitations he’d all declined, “we’re here to see your daughter, Samantha. Is she available?”

“Of curse she is!” Pamela assured before having even asked her daughter yet and reached inside to present a very confused Sam who had come to ask who was in the door.

“Samikins, say hello, you have guests!”

Sam was going to ask what was up when she spotted Vlad behind Tucker and Jazz - something that made her entire body go rigid and hostile.

“Yeah, thanks, mom, excuse us a moment,” the goth dismissed and pushed her mother inside to close the door shut.

“What is he doing here!?” she whispered to the two like Vlad couldn’t hear.

“I am here to see Daniel,” he explained for what felt like the fifth time that day and Jasmine hurried to get in between the two before a fight could start.

“Sam, please I promise I’ll explain everything as soon as I can, but we need to find Danny - is he here with you?”

The goth still didn’t seem to trust the situation and crossed her arms, “no, haven’t seen him since we walked home from the mall.”

“Then maybe he’s at Valerie’s place?” Tucker suggested and then turned to Vlad with a frown, “but we can’t take him there. Dani is there, Val would kill us.”

Vlad swallowed. Danielle. He hadn't seen her in person since he sent Valerie Gray to hunt her down and melt her down for research. Mr. Foley was indeed correct. They would with no doubt try to kill him on the spot.

But if that was the only obstacle between him and talking with Daniel, then so be it.

“Then let's go pay them a visit,” he replied lightly and returned to sit in the car.

“What teh fuck is happening - why is he here - why are you helping him!?” Sam hissed at the redhead and Jazz waved her off.

“He’s here to tell Danny he feels the same, brought Danny’s gift and everything.”

“He’s what!?” both Tucker and Sam exclaimed, making her shush them.

“There’s more but I wanna find Danny first and see how this goes, c’mon.”

Utterly scandalized, but just as curious as to see where this trainwreck would land, the two followed her to the car and jumped in to sit in the back. Both eyeing the billionaire who ignored them.

“Since when did you have feelings for Danny?” Sam suddenly burst, the question having burned on her tongue since they passed the city limit to Elmerton.

Vlad returned her icy glare in the mirror, “you believe me to be without human emotions, Samatha?”

“Don’t fucking call me that, you jerk! Why are we helping him find Danny again?”

“I’m pretty sure Danny would kill you if he found out Vlad had come to confess his feelings and we got in the way,“ Tucker argued and moved up to be part of the conversation, “but yeah this seems a bit out of the left field for you, Plasmius. What gives?” 

“I don't have to explain myself,” Vlad dismissed them, getting tired of this whole charade. 

“Uhm yeah you do,” Jasmine snorted and parked the car, “but for the sake of not telling us twice, how about you just tell us everything once we’ve found my brother?”

“I’m gonna tell her to bring out her guns,” Sam sneered and ran out of the car as the first to reach the huntress’s door before Jasmine could stop her, “Val! Vlad is here to fuck things up!”

So to say they reached this point where they were all seated in the living room with a cup of tea with little fighting was an understatement.

Valerie, having grabbed the first and best gun to beat Vald’s head in with, was still fuming on the couch with an equally scowling Danielle Phantom glaring daggers at the billionaire.

The only thing that had stopped a full on fight was Vlad’s refusal to go ghost and Damon Gray’s return from the kitchen to see what was going on outside his house. 

Bringing them all to the present position inside the building, playing civil for the man alone.

Having refused to say anything about Danny’s current position to any of them had brought the situation to a stalemate where everyone were sitting in silence while Damon Gray served tea. Having little to no idea about his daughter’s connection to the former mayor of the city.

“I’m sorry but I wasn’ expecting any visitors today so we don’t have any cookies to offer,” Damon Gray apologised after serving the last cup of tea. 

The silence continued making the poor man believe this was due to the horrible news of his lack of food, “but I can go down and buy some real quick?”

Vlad produced a stack of money from his inner pocket, “I’m sure this will do. Taking your current living situation I wouldn’t want to impose on your hospitality any further.”

Damons’s eyes went wide by the stack of money, “no no there’s no need, I couldn’t possible -”

“You were wrongly discharged from your position as Chief security officer at Anxion Lab and the firm owes you an apology. The least I can do as it’s CEO is offer you compensation and your position back.”

Valerie’s eyes narrowed while her father looked about ready to fall on all four and kiss the billionaire's feet.

“Thank you, sir. I’ll be honored to, thank you - cookies, I’ll go buy them right away.”

Running out the door to please his former and new boss, Damon left the house to the small party, escaping the silence that still had them all in its grasp.

Valerie broke it as the first, her voice full of venom, “that’s not gonna buy me one bit.”

“I am aware of that. I just needed him out of the house,” Vlad replied sharply, “now tell me, where is Daniel?”

“Why should we help you!?” Valerie scowled, “why did you guys bring him here?”

Both Tucker and Sam turned to Jazz, who now had everyone staring her down.

“Vlad was visited by Clockwork and shown the lost timeline.”

“Oh shit,” Sam muttered and all eyes turned with a snap to the man in question.

“Did you two fight?” Tucker asked, scanning the man’s appearance for any sign of a fight, “cool shirt by the way.”

“Isn’t that the gift dad sent you?” Jasmine suddenly realized, making the rest of the room even more confused as to what in the world was happening.

“So? What happened?” Sam demanded to know and Vlad supposed the only way to find Daniel without scanning the entire town for his ecto-signature, was to explain his night to these brats.

“Well,” Vlad began putting his teacup aside, “it’s a long story, really...”

One time lord, three christmas ghosts and one near death experience later, Vlad had come to the end of his tale. Serving himself a new cup of tea he sipped it quietly while the rest of the room tried their best to digest the fact that Vlad Masters had just revealed a near future in which they all died horribly.

Again.

“Yeah you’re gonna have to hand in that crown and ring,” Tucker warned and the man rolled his eyes.

“If there’s anything left after I’d destroyed them completely I shall have it shipped to you in the mail,” he assured him drily, “now I believe I’ve entertained you enough for today and owed the information of Daniel's weabouts.”

Valerie didn’t seem to agree one bit, “we don’t owe you shit. It’s a cool story, but it doesn't excuse any of your bullshit.”

“She’s right,” Sam added, both females still on the edge with the man, “like how can we even trust that any of this is true? You could be making it up just to trick us.”

“I’m pretty sure not even Vlad could make this up,” Jasmine defended and sent him a shrug, “sorry but I just don’t believe you could come up with something like this. Plus, unless any of us talked there’s no way Vlad would know of Danny’s evil self. Clockwork really is the only one who would go that far just to change the future."

“Thank you, Jasmine.”

“Still don’t trust you completely.”

“I can live with that.”

“Of course you can,” Danielle finally spoke up, rising from her seat next to Valerie and walking up to the man she had once called father despite Valerie's attempt to stop her, “you can live with just about anything. Knowing just how much pain and suffering you cause others, you can sleep soundly without problem.”

Vlad nodded, he had known this confrontation would come since they headed for Elmerton.

“I would like to apologise for the way I've treated you, but I don’t believe you would accept it,” he offered the clone he had once called daughter and she narrowed her eyes in return.

“I don’t give a shit about your story or anything about you. What you’ve done to me...” she had to take a deep breath for a second to toil her emotions as her hands came close to light with power, “I hate you and I won’t forgive you for anything you’ve done. The only reason I haven't frozen you solid is because we’re in my girlfriends home.”

“I appreciate that,” Vlad replied flatly, not fearing her for a second and she scowled at him.

“I’ll rather get melted down than help you ever again, but,” she stated with a hard emphasis on the last word, “ - Danny is my cousin, he’s family and I’ll do anything for him. And when he talks about you, what he feels for you...I get it. We’re the same and then again, different. But what he feels for you I recognize in my feelings for Valerie.”

Said woman smiled sadly at her and it encouraged the young woman to continue, “so I’ll tell you where he is on one condition.”

Vlad had figured there might be a catch, “which is?”

She nodded to the rose on the table next to him, “that rose, Danny spent months making it, perfected new teknics and failed several times to make something so perfect. I helped him figure some of it out and I know he put a lot of work and time into it. It’s only fair you do the same and bring him something just as special.”

“She’s right,” Tucker suddenly said, “It wouldn’t be right if you came empty handed. My man put a lot of effort into that gift.”

Vlad frowned. A gift with the same value and sentiment…

“Yeah not like he has the same time limit,” Sam smirked, loving nothing better than for him to fail, “and it’s not like Danny ever wished for anything. It was always one hell of a hazle to find himselthing for christmas when we were dating.”

“Not helping, Sam,” Jazz frowned, seeing what she was doing, “maybe you could take Danny somewhere special?”

“Or even better,” Tucker added with wide eyes, “make something with his own powers. How sick would that be?”

“News flash he’s a fire core,” Sam informed the tech-geek, “like what would he do? Hand him some lightning?”

“Something made with flames?” Valerie suggested with a shrug and Vlad snapped his fingers.

He had an idea.

Turning ghost, he made himself intangible and fell through the floor. The remaining in the room shared a few confused glances, wondering what was going to happen.

“So did he just straight up ditch us or -?” Sam asked and was startled as Plasmius phased back up through her.

“You did that on purpose,” she grumbled, but the halfa had little attention for her as he looked down at the black stone in his hands, frowning as if concentrating on it.

“I haven't done this for years,” he warned and closed his hands around the stone.

Jazz, Sam, Tucker, Valerie and Dani watched in fascination and confusion as smoke soon rose from between the halfa’s hands. A hard wall of intense heat radiated from the man’s hands and the humans pulled a bit back, while the tea in Vlad’s cup next to him began to boil.

The smell of burning coal and chemicals soon filled the small house and Valerie hurried to open some windows to get rid of the smell before her dad returned.

After what seemed like an eternity but probably only lasted a few minutes, the halfa called back his fire powers and stopped frowning in concentration. Everyone leaned closer as he parted his hands and revealed that the stone was gone.

And replaced by a round faceted diamond in a deep crimson red.

“Wow, did not expect that,” Jazz admitted and admired the egg sized gemstone.

Vlad blew off the small dust specks of coal and presented the diamond before his former daughter. She didn’t take it from his hand but looked it over with a closed expression. Then she nodded, seeming satisfied.

“I guess that will do. He’ll love anything you give him anyway.”

Vlad didn’t dispute that and put the stone away in his cape alog with the rose.

“Now, my end of the deal. Where is he?”

The halfa suddenly smirked, “he went to your castle to go see you, duh.”

 _That little rat_ , “oh yule log!” he cursed and teleported out of the living room.

Dani couldn’t help but snicker. She might never get her full revenge on him but she could torment the man a bit when she had the chance.

“This is so surreal,” Sam sighed and threw herself back into a chair, “what the hell does Danny see in him again?”

“I don’t know,” Tucker shrugged, “but is it just me or isn’t he a bit too old for Danny though?”

Jazz turned to him with a raised brow, “ you’ve only just now realized that? Out of everything, that was what put you off?”

Valerie frowned, “did we just make a huge mistake?”

Tucher blew a raspberry, “It’s never a mistake if it gets your friend laid.”

The women yelled up in complaints.

“Ew Tucker, why!?”

“Please stop!”

“I don’t want that picture in my head!”

Appearing inside his entrance hall, Vlad transformed back to human.

He expected one of the maids or at least his butler to show and take his coat, but the castle seemed quiet. Reminded him that he had sent all of them back to the Ghost Zone for the week.

Using his core to seek out Daniel's ecto-signature, he found it shining from the living room and walked there with some hesitation.

So close…having hunted the young man down for a few hours it suddenly seemed unseemingly to walk in there and confess his feelings. Daniel had had these feelings for him for years while Vlad’s had bloomed over a single night.

Did he truly love the young halfa? What he felt was nothing like what he had felt for Maddie. But there was something burning within that needed to be spoken into truth. A longing and need for Daniel’s company. Something he had been seeking for so long it had only seemed natural to change them from one kind of longing to another.

He had wanted Daniel a son because he saw himself in the child. Now that Daniel was a man...he still saw the same qualities he himself cherished in the halfa. But also those he didn’t have. Daniel was a kind soul, utterly clear of evil intent and selfishness when it came to other’s safety. Daniel had a need to help those around him, including the man himself.

Something he didn’t for one second believed he deserved.

But maybe...he could change if someone believed in him. He didn’t deserve Daniel’s second chance, but he could work to show that he could.

Perhaps then he could accept Daniel’s love and know he had earned it…

He would never know unless he sought out the truth and took the last step to the living room.

Inside the wide flatscreen where showing the weather and a well known mop of inky hair was sitting on the couch with its back to the man. Zapping away with a groan.

“Fucking Christmas specials, where’s the cartoons?”

Hearing Daniel’s voice in such a normal setting had the man smile like an idiot. This was the young man he knew. Not a ghost of his former self, not a broken being on the run from the world, not a lost cause.

Just Daniel. His badger.

Walking around the couch, Vlad was silent as he took a seat next to the young man. Daniel was visibly surprised, having seemingly forgotten to watch out for him and hurried to sit up straight. Maddie, who had been lying next to the young halfa, mewed happily at the sight of her owner and jumped over to get his affection. 

He repaid her warm greeting with a scratch behind the ear and looked up at the tv where an old Christmas movie was playing.

Outside the snow was falling quietly. Daniel cleared his throat.

“Sorry for breaking in. I uhm…decided to wait for you. Probably should have done that outside like a normal person…”

Vlad couldn’t help but smile and turned to the young man with a calm response, “it's quite alright.”

Daniel raised a slightly confused brow by the man’s lack of degradation and suddenly noticed the ice rose in the man’s hand. Nervousness returning.

“You didn’t show up at the truce. Or call me back,” Daniel said, the badly concealed annoyance shining through, “you really know how to make a guy hanging.”

Vlad could barely stop smiling, “it's a lovely gift, Daniel. Thank you.”

A blush spread across the young man’s face and Daniel hurried to act like he wasn’t embarrassed the least, “good, cool.”

Vlad pulled out the letter from his pocket, his little adventure to Amity Park had wrinkled it a bit, but otherwise it was intact, “I read your letter.”

Daniel turned to him with nervous anticipation, “and?”

“I would like to work things out with you as well.”

Daniel smiled, happy but a little beside himself as he seemed to have a bit of trouble with where to put his hands. Vlad decided to help him out and produced the diamond from his coat pocket.

“I have a gift for you as well, merry christmas, Daniel.”

The young man blinked, having clearly not expected that and accepted the stone with wide eyes. Shining pure and red in Daniel’s pale hands the diamond seemed to have impressed his badger.

Then Daniel snorted, “that’s one big ass rock, Vlad.”

“You have such a way with words, badger.”

Daniel rolled his eyes, but brushed the stone with a smile, “thanks, I really like it, I just didn’t expect you to have a present for me…or that it would be a gemstone the size of an egg.”

Vlad couldn’t help but snort, Daniel's dry sense of humor never ceased to amaze him, “I’m aware it isn't as grand as this rose you’ve spent months to create, but I did make it with a piece of coal from deep beneath the earth and my fire power to try match the symbolic.”

Daniel snapped his eyes from the stone to Vlad, “wait you made a diamond – with a piece of coal, in what? Your fist? That’s metal.”

“Well I’m glad you approve of my more creative powers,” Vlad replied lightly and had Daniel stare at him with sudden mirth.

“Dang and here you waste your time stealing money from others when you could just make stones like this for fun.”

Vlad couldn’t help but chuckle at that, “now that wouldn be very ‘metal’ of me would it?”

Daniel suddenly eyed his t-shirt “and speaking of metal, what the hell are you wearing, Vlad?”

Having all forgotten about the old t-shirt, Vlad groaned in annoyance and ran a hand through his hair, wishing once again he had something to tie it up with. Daniel eyed it suddenly and seemed spellbound by it.

“Your father sent me this as a gift. He could barely control himself when I went to visit him wearing it.”

“Wait - wait - wait,” Daniel interrupted, utterly flabbergasted as he snapped out of his silver hair fascination, “you went to see my dad? Wearing that!? Why!?” 

_I went there to tell you I feel the same._

“Well you did ask me to come visit christmas morning,” Vlad informed innocently and pointed to the last part of the letter, “it would have been rude to refuse.”

“Rude huh?” Daniel grinned, not buying it for one bit, “next thing you’re telling me you and my parents had a lovely morning with tea and cookies?”

“Well we are meeting up again next week to work on a project in the lab.”

Daniel simply stared at him and seemed utterly conflicted, “what? I was just joking!”

Maddie stirred at all the noise and stretched in a tall arch, filling the silence between them for a second with her silliness.

Vlad waited for her to stop her antics and leave the couch before he addressed Daniel again.

“I was visited by Clockwork last night. I saw the past in which you lost your life and I lost my powers. And I was shown the future, where I die and you lose all you love.”

Daniel had seemed shocked that the ghost of time had talked to him and then was ashamed by the mention of the broken timeline. The last part about Vlad’s death had his eyes snap back to Vlad’s. 

Blue and filled with worry.

“Is that a future I can change?”

Vlad shook his head and those blue eyes widened with fear before Vlad took his hand. Squeezing it to calm him.

“No but I can. That’s why I have made peace with you parents. And I will continue to make up for what I can. Destroying the Ring of Rage and Crown of Fire as a first.”

His honesty seemed to sway something in the other halfa and a light blush spread by the connection of their hands. The moment came to an end as Daniel then scowled at the mention of the ghostly artifacts.

“I just knew you snatched those. Wanted to be ghost king huh? Couldn’t resist the temptation - I worked my ass off to take those of Pariah and you just ran with the looth.”

Vlad couldn’t help but chuckle at his own past plans and that endearing angry face his badger was making.

“We both know I would have made a handsome king.”

“We both know you would have been an ass with all that power,” Daniel scoffed and rolled his eyes, but didn’t pull his hand to him.

The sparks and crackle of the fire filled the room with a warm atmosphere, while the thick now outside slowly covered the castle like a duvet. Leaving the two alone and concealed in a warm living room next to one another. Their hands still holding the other with unsaid words.

When Daniel spoke again his tone was serious, yet hesitant.

“So does this mean you’re trying to be less of a jerk from now on? No more schemes? Or trying to make me your stupid protegeee? Tax evasion?”

The last had Vlad smirk, but not in a mocking way, “I can’t say I’m entirely remorseful, but yes, I will change my ways and attempt to fix certain aspects of my life. Making amends will be the first step I believe.”

Daniel looked up at him in question, “and what’s the second step?”

Vlad stared into those perfect blue eyes. Eyes that held no bloodthirst, sorrow or hatred for him. The future he had used years to plan, scheme and work for paled utterly next to the promise that was this single being’s affection for him. 

And at that moment, having seen the past present and future, Vlad knew he would never wish for anything more.

Believing actions spoke louder than words, Vlad explained the second step by leaning in and capturing those lips.

Danny was surprised by the kiss, but all reason flew out the window at the warmth of those lips he had daydreamed about for years. Returning Vlad’s kiss, the young halfa suddenly knew this was real and Vlad didn’t just wish to make things work between them.

He cared for Danny too.

Pulling the man in, Danny thanked the time keeper in silence as Vlad ran a hand through his hair and pushed him back on the couch.

Despite having loathed christmas since childhood and learned to live with it in the last few years, Danny suddenly knew that christmas would be something special this year.

After all, his christmas wish had come true.


End file.
